The End
by ImnIslandGirl
Summary: After Wally's death, Nightwing left the team. Two years later, Nightwing has become reckless and stubborn, refusing to work with the team or Batman, no matter how much they need him… or how much he needs them. Now, an unexpected hero arrives with news that the world will end unless Nightwing is saved. Can the team rescue the long lost brother before it's too late?
1. Chapter 1 - Useless

Nightwing was crouched on a rooftop gazing out at the streets of Gotham with a feeling of distaste and contempt. Despite all the hard work of Batman and his protégés, this city was still overrun with criminals. He'd been in this city for mere hours and already he had stopped three muggings, a robbery, and an assault. There was once a time when Nightwing would have been pleased with his heroics and considered this a job well done. But now, he felt useless. As if nothing he did made any difference. Tomorrow night there will be twice as many thugs to replace the ones he had taken down, and Gotham's streets will be no safer than they were before he had intervened. Nightwing no longer believed in making a difference. He no longer had faith in the citizens of this city. Nightwing's optimism died with Wally West and now he was drowning in darkness, just like these poor souls in Gotham.

"I knew you'd come." A young voice broke through the ambience of the city, interrupting Nightwing's thoughts. He wasn't surprised. He had heard the quiet _zip_ of the grabbling hook, the light footsteps landing softly on the roof, and the familiar _flap_ of a cape catching the night air. He had known Robin was watching him long before the boy spoke.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Batman? You know he doesn't want you out alone when the Joker's loose." Nightwing replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the city streets as he heard his little brother approach.

"Batman's off world."

"Then you should be at the Mountain." Nightwing retorted, finally turning his sharp gaze towards Robin. The boy shifted uncomfortably under the harsh tone. This wasn't the friendly, supportive, big brother he had come to know from Dick, but since Wally died, it seemed his mentor was long gone.

"Come on Dick, I haven't seen you in months. I know you came back here for the Joker… You gotta let us help you. If not me, then at least call the team. You can't do this by yourse…"

"I will NOT risk the teams' lives by sending them after the Joker!" Nightwing interrupted, getting to his feet to show he was not willing to argue about this. Unfortunately, Robin was far from willing to surrender.

"So you're going after him alone? That's suicide Nightwing and you know it! Don't you think the team has lost enough lately? Tula's dead, Wally's dead, no one's seen Jason since he escaped from Belrev! And now you're planning to go head to head with the lunatic who's already killed a Robin!" Tim shot back, letting his concern fuel his anger, but his words fell on deaf ears. Nightwing wasn't willing to listen to reason. He didn't care about the risks to his own safety, so long as none of the team had to face the danger with him.

"Go home Robin. Stay at the Mountain until Batman gets back. If I find you out here again, I'll drag you back myself." Nightwing ordered, his tone not allowing for any argument from the boy. As reluctant as Robin was, he knew he couldn't change Nightwing's mind. All he could do was make sure the Team was prepared for a rescue mission if needed. So with a defeated sigh, he turned his back on his older brother.

"You know, you're selfish Nightwing. You're so wrapped up in what you've lost, you've got no idea how much it would hurt the rest of us if we lost you. I hope you realize that before it's too late." Robin muttered before dashing off the roof and disappearing into the shadows.

"You're wrong, kid." Nightwing whispered to himself, letting his anger fade into sadness as he thought about Tim's words.

"The world doesn't stop turning when a hero dies. It didn't stop for Jason. It didn't stop for Wally. And it's not going to stop for me."


	2. Chapter 2 - Tigress

_"You're wrong, kid." Nightwing whispered to himself, letting his anger fade into sadness as he thought about Tim's words._

_"The world doesn't stop turning when a hero dies. It didn't stop for Jason. It didn't stop for Wally. And it's not going to stop for me."_

"Well that's depressing." Another voice echoed out into the night and Nightwing rolled his eyes in annoyance. There was once a time when the rooftops of Gotham City were quiet and peaceful. Now it seems everyone knew where to find him. Nightwing made a mental note to turn off his com next time he came here so the Team wouldn't be able to track him.

"Depressing but true. You know that better than anyone, Artemis." As he turned to face his old teammate, he noticed she was still in her civilian clothes. She was probably on her way to the Mountain when she picked up his signal. The years had been a lot kinder to Artemis than they had been to Dick. He was rough and sluggish from neglecting his training, and his shaggy hair and stubble made him look unkempt. Artemis was slim and fit as usual, with her long blonde hair tied back neatly in a ponytail. Where Dick had lost focus on his training, she had devoted every free moment to honing her skills, determined never to let another teammate die under her watch. Though it was clear she wasn't able to move on from Wally's death either. Her sharp eyes were now burdened by a constant gleam of sadness that matched the frown that seemed permanently etched on her face. As a memorial to her late boyfriend, Artemis wore a golden pendent around her neck: an altered version of the Kid Flash's symbol where the lightning bolt had been extended so that it resembled a W. Dick didn't realize he was staring at the pendent until Artemis tucked it under her shirt and out of view.

"He wouldn't want you risking your life like this Nightwing. You know Wally would be the first person to stand in your way if he knew you were taking on the Joker alone. And if that didn't work, he'd be right by your side."

"Well, Wally's not here."

"No, but I am." Dick cringed as Artemis crossed her arms in defiant resolve. He knew she wouldn't let this drop without a fight. Convincing Tim to leave him alone was one thing, but Artemis? He might as well be trying to convince Killer Crock to become a vegetarian!

"You can't come with me Artemis, it's too dangerous…" Dick said, knowing it wouldn't do any good. With a frustrated sigh, he changed his tactics.

"I won't do anything risky. I just need to know what the Joker's planning, especially if Bats is off world. It's a Recon Mission, nothing more. Once I know what Joker's up to, I'll contact Batgirl and Robin and sort out a plan from there." Nightwing offered, hoping to ease her mind. Unfortunately, Artemis knew their track record for Recon Missions as well as he did. Nothing ever went as planned and NOTHING was without risk.

"I'm still coming with you." Artemis replied stubbornly.  
>"If this mission is as risk free as you say, then I won't be in any danger. If it's not, then you could use the backup. I've got to Zeta to the Mountain to get my bow, I'll be back soon. And if you even think about going without me, you'll regret it!" Artemis stated. Nightwing knew better than to argue. As much as he didn't want Artemis to get dragged into this, she was right. He needed the back up and Artemis was one of the best trained heroes on the Team. Besides, Artemis was one of the only people that lost as much as he did the day Wally died. If anyone was to understand his reckless need to handle things on his own, it was Artemis.<p> 


	3. Chapter 3 - The Clown

When Artemis returned, she was dressed in her Tigress suit with an orange and black compound bow and quiver slung over her shoulder, and her golden W necklace still hanging from her neck. The two silently made their way across the city, intervening in a few low-key robberies on the way. Nightwing had no concrete evidence for where the Joker would be hiding, but he knew the villain well enough to recognize his flair for theatrics, so they started at an abandoned fair grounds just outside the city. It was easy to see they had come to the right place. The grounds were littered with over-muscled thugs in brightly coloured clown masks and piled on one of the outdoor stages were a collection of bodies that had wide cartoonish smiles carved into their faces.

"Alright, so where is the Joker?" Artemis asked, inwardly cringing at the site of the innocents that had already fallen victim to the man's madness. She and Nightwing were perched on top of one of the carnival rides so they'd be able to survey the area. There were dozens of buildings for Joker to hide in and they wouldn't be able to search them all without being seen.

Nightwing scanned the grounds looking for one of Joker's signatures. Unlike most of the villains he'd faced in the past, Joker usually wanted to be found. This time was no exception.

"He's there." Nightwing pointed to an old Fun House near the south side of the grounds. The building was tall and windowless, painted with bright red and white stripes, and a horrifying entrance. Artemis gasped when she saw it. There were two bodies hung by the neck on either side of the door: one was drenched in black pain and wearing a hand-made cowl to make him look like Batman; the other was painted with red, yellow, and black depicting a Robin costume. Both bodies had the same gruesome smile that was carved into the bodies on stage.

"That's sick." Tigress hissed.

"That's the Joker. Come on, he might have more hostages inside." Nightwing reminded her, wrapping his arm around Tigress' waste so he could lower them both down to the ground with his grappling hook.

The two were able to make it to the Fun House with little difficulty. With one being trained by the league of Shadows and the other by Batman himself, they were stealthy enough to avoid being seen. But entering the Fun House would be a different story. With weapons ready, they entered the brightly painted building and stepped into utter darkness. Nightwing activated the night vision on his mask so he could lead them through. The inside of the building was a maze, twisting and turning down a mess of hallways and dead ends, while sickly vibrant circus music blared out of the speakers fixed to the walls. It was a grave contrast: the cheery melodies echoing through the solemn darkness. As they neared the end of the maze, Nightwing could hear the familiar cackling growing louder with every step.

"Batsy and Birdbrain are taking too long! If they don't hurry up and get here, I won't have any hostages left to play with! HAHAHAHA!" Joker's voice rang out, only slightly muted by the door at the end of the maze. Nightwing's grip tightened on his escrima sticks while Tigress took an arrow from her quiver and readied her bow. Both of them knew this was no longer just a Recon mission. If Joker still had living hostages, they couldn't just stay in the shadows while more innocent people died!

Artemis placed her hand on Dick's shoulder, a silent signal in the darkness that she was ready when he was. Without another moment's hesitation, Nightwing kicked the door, flinging it off its hinges. He burst into the room, taking in his surroundings as he ran. It took mere seconds for his eyes to adjust to the light. Four visible armed guards in the center of the room with Joker, two dead bodies at their feet, one living hostage a few paces away surrounded by three more guards… scratch that… one conscious guard and two already downed by arrows. Artemis worked fast.

Trusting Tigress to handle the hostage, Nightwing kept his course, darting straight towards the group surrounding the Joker. At this point, his own weapons would be a hassle, so he slid them back into his belt to free up his hands for the fight. He ducked under the first punch, watching as the second goon came at his with a baseball bat. Sidestepping, Nightwing moved to the outside of his opponent's range and grabbed his arm, using the guard's own momentum to redirect him into the third man. The two stumbled into a pile of crates, taking them both out of the fight. Feeling a metal chain wrap around his neck from behind, Nightwing dropped to one knee and tucked his shoulder, forcing the man to flip over him and land harshly on the ground. A well placed punch knocked him out, leaving Nightwing with only one guard and the Joker. The remaining guard charged at Nightwing, but the hero was ready for him. He blocked the strike and delivered his own, kneeing the man in the gut and punching him in the face, but before he was able to deliver that final blow, the sound of a gunshot echoed through the room, followed by a pain-filled scream and a villainous cackle. Nightwing froze, almost afraid to turn around.

"Now, now, Big Bird, you didn't think I was gonna let you ruin my fun, did you? HAHA!" Nightwing dropped the guard and watched as the man scurried away. Joker stood in front of him with a wide grin on his face and a nasty looking crowbar in his hands. He pointed the tool towards the ceiling, revealing the three gunman he had stationed in the rafters. Nightwing cursed his own stupidity. He should have known better than to burst in without surveying the room, especially when he was risking Artemis' life as well! Now she was the one who had to pay the price!


	4. Chapter 4 - The Right Bait

Tigress had successfully taken down the final goon guarding the hostage and was ushering the terrified man towards the exit when she was shot. A violent red spot was spreading across her shoulder, forcing her to drop her bow. The shot itself wasn't lethal, but if she wasn't able to stop the bleeding, it could be. Before Artemis had time to recover from the initial shock of getting shot, a team of Joker's reinforcements came burling through the door. Two men grabbed her and roughly forced her hands behind her back, causing unnecessary pain to her wounded shoulder. Another guard recovered the hostage while the rest surrounded Nightwing, awaiting orders from the Joker.

"Well, I'm disappointed. I spend all this time on a welcome party for the Bat and he doesn't even show up! I go fishing for Batsy and Robin, and all I manage to catch is an overgrown Birdie and a Kitty-Cat! Maybe I'm not using the right bait…?" Joker muttered to himself as he circled his prey.

"Yes, that's it, wrong bait! Batsy's probably getting sick of saving these useless chumps!" The Madman said, pulling out his gun and firing an entire clip into the poor hostage that Tigress had tried to save. Both Artemis and Nightwing let out angry shouts as the innocent man fell lifelessly to the ground.

"You sick son of a bitch!" Tigress screamed at the lunatic, her voice fueled by anger and pain. She regretted her words the instant Joker's crazed eyes met hers and that twisted smile spread across his face.

"How rude. Looks like I'm gonna have to teach you some manners, Blondie."] The Joker cackled, stepping uncomfortably close to Artemis. She tried to turn her head away, but the cold, metal of the crowbar at her cheek guided her face back to him. With a cruel sneer, Joker used his free hand to grab her wounded shoulder, digging his gloved fingers deep into the open wound until she could no longer contain her screams.

"Joker! Don't touch her! You said you wanted bait for Batman? Well, here I am! I was the first Robin! I was his first sidekick! I'm the one you want, leave the girl out of this!"] Nightwing called, struggling as Joker's goons tried to restrain him. He knew that Joker wouldn't hesitate to kill Artemis, but if he could capture the clown's attention for a while, she might be able to escape on her own. There was no danger to Batman; he was still off-world with the other leaguers and wouldn't be back for days and Tim wasn't foolish enough to come after him on his own.

"You hear that Blondie? Birdbrain doesn't want me to play with you. Now, that's not any fun at all!" Joker cackled, making Artemis wince both at the sound of his voice and the putrid smell of his breath! Joker turned back towards Nightwing, and Artemis made the foolish mistake of thinking he was finished with her. Before she had a chance to register what was happening, Joker pivoted on his heels and swung the crowbar towards her face. Blood splattered across the ground and the force of the blow made Artemis fall limp in the arms of her captors, who dropped her to the ground once they were certain she was too dazed to escape.

"Tigress!" With fear and anger fuelling his movements, he wrenched his arms free of the goons' hold, and swiftly incapacitated the three that were restraining him. He dove forward, desperate to reach his ally before she could be hurt any further, but a heavy weight collided with Nightwing's back and he was tackled to the ground by two more masked clowns.

"Ah ah ah, you naughty little bird. If you keep misbehaving like that I might just have to kill your little friend here." Joker threatened, sending a vicious kick to Artemis' ribs. The heroine groaned in protest, unable to protect herself with her head spinning so violently from Joker's previous strike.

"Stop it! Stop hurting her!" Dick growled at the sight of one of his best friends in so much pain. The blood was seeping through a nasty-looking gash on Tigress' forehead, staining her blonde hair a sickly crimson red. Through the slits in her mask, Dick could see the unfocused glaze to her eyes and knew she must be concussed. If she was too dazed to fight back, she'd be vulnerable to whatever that lunatic had in mind, and Nightwing was desperate for Artemis to escape that fate.

"Then stop squirming! How about we play a little game?"


	5. Chapter 5 - Joker Says

_"How about we play a little game?"_

Joker ran his hand along the crowbar, wiping the blood off the metal and staining his white gloves in the process. Nightwing had been Joker's hostage enough in the past to know that any "game" he had in mind was going to be a nightmare for both him and Artemis, but with his friend lying helpless at the maniac's feet, Nightwing didn't have the option of defiance. If he tried to fight back, Artemis would be hurt and she had already suffered enough on his behalf.

"What game?" Nightwing growled, filling every syllable with as much hatred and loathing as he could.

"Hmmm… I know! Let's play _Joker says_! Whenever I say 'Joker says' you have to do whatever I tell you too. If you don't…" The crazed clown took another swing with the crowbar, this time striking Artemis' ribs with a sickening crack. The mixture of Nightwing's growls and Tigress' painful yelps only seemed to make Joker's smile wider!

"If I don't say 'Joker says' and you do it anyway, then…" This time, the crowbar came crashing down onto Artemis' injured shoulder, provoking another cry of pain from the helpless girl.

"Alright! I get it! I'll play! Just stop!" Nightwing pleaded, his eyes glued to his ally's as Joker giggled with satisfaction.

"Joker says get to your feet." He ordered, watching with his trademark wide grin as Nightwing shook off the goons and stood up.

"Joker says ditch the gadgets: the belt, and the boots." Again, Nightwing was forced to comply. He unclipped his utility belt and kicked off his boots, resting both on the ground next to him.

"Now the gloves." Joker demanded, tapping the crowbar against Tigress' back as a warning. Nightwing reluctantly obliged, slipping off his gloves and setting dropping them to the ground.

"Ah, ah, ah!" The clown giggled, with a victorious gleam in his eyes. His voice suddenly dropped to a darker, more menacing tone as he continued.

"Joker didn't say!" He taunted, bringing attention to Nightwing's mistake. Dick felt a strong hand on his shoulder, holding him in place as Joker delivered his punishment. Three strikes with the crowbar and Artemis was reverted to a bloody heap on the floor. The only thing holding back Nightwing's shouts was the fear of making things worse for his best friend. He had to be careful. He couldn't afford another slip, Artemis might not survive another beating!

"Alright Birdie, Joker says take out your communicator. And no trying to weasel your way out of it! I know Batsy never lets his birds out of the nest without some way to call for back up!" Joker cackled, waving the crowbar menacingly over Artemis' broken body.

Nightwing gritted his teeth in frustration, but reluctantly obeyed. He pulled the small device out of his ear, revealing his last chance at escape. Without his tools he couldn't slip out, without his communicator he couldn't call for help, and with his best friend at Joker's mercy, fighting was no longer an option either. He was now completely vulnerable!

"Joker says call Batman!" Dick inserted the communicator back into his ear, knowing he couldn't disobey. But maybe this was his chance? He could call the league and get help! Batman was off world, but surely someone would come to save them: Superman, Flash, Green Arrow, _someone_ had to be able to help!

"What do I say?" Nightwing asked, not wanting to misspeak and get Artemis hurt any further.

"Invite him to the party! Tell him to come and join in the fun! And to bring that little bird with him too. Oh, but don't tell him I'm here! We wouldn't want to ruin the surprise, would we?" The villain ordered, twirling the crowbar in his hand as an obvious threat.

Despite the order, Nightwing stayed silent. He shifted his eyes to Joker, raising his eyebrow questioningly. The clown was furious at first, thinking this was just an act of defiance. He raised his weapon for another strike, but just before the unforgiving metal struck its target, the clown froze before bursting out with his crazed laughter.

"Very good Nightwing! You're learning! Ha ha! Let me rephrase that: _Joker says_ Invite him and birdboy to the party! Ha ha! See? Isn't this fun?!" The madman corrected himself. This time Nightwing raised his hand to his ear, activating the communicator. He had to be smart about this. He couldn't let Joker know he was contacting the league instead. Unfortunately, not everyone in the league was training in Batman's method of decoding. It could take hours for them to deceiver his message depending on who was on duty at the watchtower tonight. But there was one person he could rely on…

"Nightwing to Batman. Come in, Batman." He said, calling directly to the Mountain in hopes of reaching his little brother.

"Batman, I'm at the Gotham fairgrounds. I think you and Robin should come and see this. I…" Nightwing paused, as if listening to his mentor.

"It's on the outskirts of Gotham. Look north from the call center, you can't miss it." Again he paused, pretending to hear some unspoken question.

"Tigress turned in for the night. It's just me. Make sure you bring the kid. Nightwing out." As soon as the cell was finished, Joker signalled for one of his goons to rip the communicator out of Nightwing's ear and destroy it. The small device was dropped to the ground and crushed under foot, Dick hoped his little brother got the message, because he'd have no way to try again.

"Perfect! Now, let's get moving, shall we? Load these two in the van and bring out the bomb! Ha ha! It's time for Batsy's big surprise!" Joker cackled before slamming the crowbar into Artemis' temple to knock her unconscious. One of his men grabbed the motionless Tigress and dragged her out of the funhouse, while two more carried in a huge metal barrel that must contain Joker's bomb.

"Where are you taking her? Joker! Answer me!" Dick shouted, starting to struggle again as he felt the restraining hands of Joker's flunkies capturing his arms. The clown just flashed him a malicious grin as he stepped towards the young hero.

"You'll find out soon enough! Nighty-night birdbrain!" Nightwing felt a sharp pain shoot through his skull and then… nothing.


	6. Chapter 6 - Reinforcements

"Nightwing to Batman. Come in, Batman."

In a blur of yellow and red, the speedster was at the Mountain's computer almost instantly, responding to his leader's call.

"Nightwing, this is Impulse… Batman's not here. He's off world. What's up?" Bart Allen responded, thinking it odd that Nightwing would call the Mountain in order to reach his mentor. Didn't the Bat have personal communication lines with each of his proteges?

"Batman, I'm at Gotham Fairgrounds. I think you and Robin should come and see this. I…"

"What? No, didn't you hear me? Batman's not here. This is… uph!"

"Move!" Tim rushed over and shove Bart out of the way so he could speak to his brother.

"Nightwing, this is Robin. Go head."

"It's on the outskirts of Gotham. Look north from the call center, you can't miss it." Nightwing continued, pausing despite the silence from the other side. Impulse looked confused, but before he could voice his questions, he was silenced by a glare from Robin. Nightwing must be making this call under duress. It was the only explanation for the way he was speaking.

"What is the situation?" Robin asked, looking for more details.

"Tigress turned in for the night. It's just me."

Robin grit his teeth. He knew he shouldn't have left his brother on that rooftop! Now NIghtwing was in more danger than he could handle and Batman was still off world!

"Message received. Be careful Nightwing.

"Make sure you bring the kid. Nightwing out."

"What the heck was that about? It's like he couldn't hear us, he wasn't making any sense!" Impulse complained, watching curiously as Robin's fingers flew over the keyboard.

"He was speaking in code. Nightwing's been captured and was forced to make the call to Batman. This has got Joker's stink all over it. 'Look North' is Watchtower, 'call center' means get help, and 'can't miss it' means he doesn't have much time. NG wants us to call in the League." Robin explained.

"Ok, then what about the rest of that nonsense? Tigress didn't turn in, she would have contacted us." Robin sighed at the question, looking more concerned as he realized the gravity of Nightwing's situation.

"Tigress is out of commission and they took Nightwing's gadgets. He has nothing to fight with and even if he did, he can't risk getting Tigress hurt any further. Joker's using them as bait to lure me and Batman to him." Impulse seemed to pale a little at the news. Nightwing and Artemis were two of the best trained heroes in Young Justice! If they were captured, unable to fight back, and under constant threat, how was the team supposed to save them? Especially without Batman!

"But Batman's off world. What's the Joker gonna do if he doesn't show?" Bart's question hung in the air, unanswered as Robin tried to contact the League, but the silence was answer enough. Joker would kill his hostages if he didn't get what he wanted. They had to get Nightwing and Tigress out of there before Joker realized Batman wasn't coming!

"Robin to Justice League. Emergency protocol zero-four, requesting immediate backup." Tim felt a wave of dread wash over him as soon as Black Canary appeared on the computer screen. BC hated being on call at the Watchtower. She only covered the line when the rest of the League was out!

"Robin, this is Black Canary. Batman and Superman called in reinforcements, the rest of the team went to help them fight off world. Green Arrow and I are the only ones here. What's going on? Your team wasn't sent out on any missions today, what's the emergency?" She asked, unable to hide the concern in her tone. The last time the League had got a call like this, the Mountain was being attacked!

"Nightwing and Tigress have been captured. Get to the Gotham Fairgrounds ASAP! Team Alpha will meet you there."

"What? Robin, wait for us at the Mountain! You don't know what you're getting into!"

"If we wait, they die! We're not losing any more of our team! Robin out." Tim answered stubbornly before cutting the call. They didn't have time to delay!

"Miss Martian, Aqualad, Superboy, Batgirl, Emergency protocol zero-four! Zeta to platform GC-07 immediately! I'll explain everything once we're there!" Robin ordered through the communicators as he pushed himself away from the desk and headed towards the Zeta tubes. Although he left the security room before Impulse, it was no surprise to see the speedster waiting by the Zeta tube as soon as he arrived.

"What's the plan?" Bart asked, speaking almost too quickly to be understood.

"You stay here and wait for Black Canary and Green Arrow. Make sure they're up to speed and send them to the Fairgrounds. And contact me immediately if Nightwing calls back." Robin ordered, having apparently inherited Batman's finite tone, preventing Impulse from arguing with him. Without another word, Robin stepped into the Zeta tube and disappeared, leaving nothing but the robotic tone of the Zeta Beam: Robin B20.


	7. Chapter 7 - Too Late

Batgirl was the last to arrive, having been on patrol across the city when the call came in. BY the time she glided to the scene of Gotham City's 7th platform, she saw M'gaan, Connor, and Kal'dur already being briefed by Tim.

"Robin, what's happened? Emergency Protocol zero-four? Someone's been captured?" Barbara asked, not liking the grave looks on her teammates faces.

"It's Nightwing and Tigress. The Joker's got them, and they're unarmed. Joker wants me and Batman. If we don't show up, he'll kill them." Robin reported, quickly bringing Batgirl in on their situation.

"We don't have time to plan, so we'll keep this simple. Miss Martian will pose as Batman and the two of us will confront Joker. We can keep him distracted while SUperbow and Aqualad cover us from outside the funhouse. Batgirl, you're to sneak inside and be out lookout. Make sure we're not caught off guard. Understood?" Robin ordered. Usually he was hesitant to take any kind of leadership role, due to his own lack of confidence, but now that his brother was at stake he wasn't taking any chances.

There was an uneasy silence among the group before each of them hesitantly agreed. This plan was risky, especially for M'gaan and Tim who would be offering themselves up to one of Gotham's most infamous villains. They had already wasted a dangerous amount of time already and Nightwing and Tigress might not survive much longer!

With everyone in position, M'gaan used her shapeshifting to morph herself into a passable Batman. She walked beside Robin, trying not to react to the gory bodies that littered the fairground. She was surprised to see there were no guards, but assumed this was all part of the madman's plan. He didn't want his goons to meddle in this, he wanted to deal with them himself. Robin kept his eyes forward, leading the way into the funhouse with the bodies (depicting him and Batman) framing their entrance. He walked steadily through the dark maze and hesitated only when they reached the final door that separated them from Joker and their captive team members. He waited for M'gaan's nod before he opened the door. Ther in the center of the room was a pile of bloodied bodies that Nightwing and Tigress were too late to of them were suspended from the rafters: one wearing Nightwing's boots, gloves, and utility belt, while the other wore Tigress' belt and quiver. Beneath them were two crushed communicators, Nightwing's Escrima sticks and Tigress' bow. The silence was broken by a fit of amused laughter as the Joker's taunting voice echoed over the speakers.

"Sorry Bats! You're too late! I was having so much fun with your little bird that I decided to take him home with me! Hahaha! Enjoy the fireworks Batsy! HAHAHAHAHA!" With Joker's taunts, Robin's eyes snapped towards the metal barrel in the center of the room, almost completely hidden by the pile of bodies covering beneath the blood and gore, RObin could made out a small digital screen with numbers counting down the seconds until detonation.

Instincts took over and his hand closed around M'gaan's wrist, pulling her along as he sprinted back into the maze. He counted the seconds in his head as they ran. 14...13...12...11...They weren't even half way through the maze yet, they'd never make it out before the explosion! 8...7...6...5...

Robin and M'gaan skidded to a halt as the wall in front of them burst into rubble. Superboy grabbed the two and threw them out through the hole he'd just created. The three sprinted away from the building as the final seconds slipped away. Robin could feel the heat on his back as the funhouse erupted. They were still too close! They'd never survive! Robin was convinced that this was the end: this was how he was going to die. But instead of the enveloping heat, he felt a sudden chill of water and the sizzle of steam. Aqualad had forged a sphere of water to surround his friends and shield them from the brunt of the explosion.

"Kal'dur, you saved us!" M'gaan sighed in relief, shifting back to her normal appearance.

"Wait, where's Batgirl?" Robin was gripped with a sudden fear as he scanned the area, not seeing the redhead anywhere! He had sent her in to be their lookout, what if she didn't make it out in time! He had come here to save Dick, and now he had killed Barbara!

"I hear her! She's there!" Connor told the others, leading the way to a concession stand not far from the funhouse. Barbara was struggling to pull herself up to her knees, but the burns on her back were too painful to move. When she heard about the bomb, she warned Connor and Kal'dur to save the others as she tried to grapple far enough away from the blast. Unfortunately, she was caught by the blaze, and although her wounds weren't lethal, she would be out of commission for several weeks.

Kal'dur gentle drizzled water over her burns to sooth the pain, while Connor lifted the injured heroine into his arms.

"We need to get her back to the can call in…"

"Robin! I told you to wait at the cave!"Black Canary's voice rang out as she and Green Arrow ran towards the teens. The woman checked over Barbara's injuries with a worried and angry look on her face. If they had just waited for back up this never would have happened!

"All of you, back to the Mountain. Superboy, take Batgirl to the medical bay. The rest of you, go straight to the debriefing room." Green Arrow ordered as the teens filed out. As Robin walked past, Oliver put his hand on the young boy's shoulder to stop him.

"Nightwing? Artemis?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Joker still has them, and now… we have no idea where they are."


	8. Chapter 8 - Get Traught

The first thing Artemis was aware of was the all-consuming pain that surged through her body. This wasn't the first time she had woken up with injuries she couldn't account for; having been raised by Sportmaster, she was no stranger to being beaten unconscious, but it had been several years since she had been in his care. She struggled to open her eyes, noticing instantly that she was not in the warm, brightly-lit medical ward at the Mountain. Instead, she was greeted with the cold stone floors and iron bars of a dimly lit cell. Artemis felt a rush of panic and she pushed herself up off the floor, only to fall back from another shot of pain.

"Artemis, take it easy! You're in pretty rough shape, try not to move so fast, alright?" Artemis knew that voice even without looking. She had been working along side that voice for over seven years now, but there was an uncertain edge to it that she hadn't heard in a long time: not since the Reds invaded the cave. Nightwing was scared, leaving only one thought racing through her mind...Get traught or get dead.

Looking up to meet his eyes, Artemis realized that both of their masks had been removed. Nightwing had revealed himself as Dick Grayson shortly after Wally died, but she still wasn't accustom to seeing his bright blue eyes while he was still in costume. Only the original team members (Kal'dur, Connor, and M'gaan) knew his identity, aside from the batclan, so it was rare to catch Dick without his mask or sunglasses in place.

"What happened? Where are we?" She asked, prompting a knowing sigh from her ally.

"I knew it was a concussion." He muttered, explaining her lack of memory.

"Joker caught us trying to free the hostages. You took quite a beating before he finally knocked you out. I was able to get a call out to Robin, but I don't know how much good it'll do. Joker moved us before we could be found. As for where we are… I don't know. I was knocked out during the trip. I woke up just a few hours before you did." Nightwing told her, revisiting her injuries.

Tigress had a nasty gash above her eye, a split lip, fractured ribs, and a bullet lodged in her shoulder. DIck had tried to patch her up as best he could, using ripped pieces of fabric from his sleeves as bandages. In comparison, he was in much better condition, suffering only from a broken cheekbone and a few nasty bruises.

With Dick's help, Artemis sat up and took stock of their surroundings. It looked like they were being held in an old prison cell, but she had no idea where Joker would get access to something like that. By the time her eyes wandered back to Dick, she saw that his jaw was clenched and his eyes were set in a fixed glare at the wall.

"Nightwing, we'll get out of this. We always do."

"Not always." Dick muttered darkly. Images of their fallen allies came flooding to Artemis' mind and see had to clench her fists to control the sudden wave of emotion. It was true, they hasn't been able to survive every trap intact. Tula, Jason, Wally… they were all killed on the job and now Artemis and Dick were risking the same fate!

"Artemis, if you get the chance to run, you have to take it… whether I'm with you or not. The Joker is a monster; he's already killed my little brother. I can't let him kill my best friend too."

"So you want me to suffer through that instead? Nightwing, I'm not leaving you with that madman! If we escape, we escape together." Artemis insisted, interrupted by the shrill laughter and mocking applause coming from down the hall. Artemis pulled herself to her feet and Dick stepped protectively in front of her, shielding her from the infamous clown that stepped into view.

"How sweet! Birdbrain and Kitty-Cat, inseparable 'til the end! Well… not quite. Sorry Blondie, I'm gonna have to steal your little bird for a few hours. I was going to host a big show starring Gotham's favourite Bat, but it turns out Batsy couldn't make it. Oh well, the show must go on! I'll just have to work with the understudy! HAHAHAHA!" Joker cackled as his goons unlocked the cell and stepped inside. Artemis grabbed Nightwing's arm, holding him in place, while Dick braced himself for a fight. He wasn't going to go with Joker willingly, especially if it left Artemis unprotected!

"Oh, come now Birdie! Don't be like that! I'll tell you what: if you take part in my little show, your friend doesn't have to!" Joker offered, watching with malicious eyes as the two heroes exchanged fearful glances.

Joker snapped his fingers and his goons lunged towards the two. Two pairs of hands wrapped tightly around Artemis, not taking any care with her injuries. The others tried to pull Nightwing out of the cell, beating him viciously along the way as punishment for his defiance.

"No! Let him go!" Artemis shouted, weakly struggling against the brutes as they dragged her to the back of the cell and shoved her to the cold, stone floor.

"It's ok Tigress, I'll be fine! Stay traught!"Nightwing called back, unable to escape as the goons forced his hands behind his back and fastened thick metal cuffs to his wrists. Joker cackled as he reached into his pocket and pulled out Nightwing's Domino mask, slipping it back onto the hero's face.

"Can't let the others see who you really are Dickie-Bird or it'll ruin all the fun."

With violent shoves, they pushed lead Nightwing out of the cell block, leaving Artemis curled up at the back of the cell.

She leaned against the wall, focusing on her breathing to distract herself from the pain that radiated through her body. Her hand clasped around the golden W pendant that hung from her neck. She wasn't sure if she believed in a life after death, but if Wally was out there somewhere, she prayed he would be watching out for Nightwing. Whatever theatrics Joker had planned, Artemis knew it was a far worse fate than being trapped in here.


	9. Chapter 9 - The Show

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Villains of all ages! Baddies of all shapes and sizes! I welcome you all to the show of a lifetime!" Joker called out. He stood at the front of the room, balancing on the front of a judges podium. Several wooden tables had been shoved together in front of the podium, creating a makeshift stage; easily visible to the special guests Joker had seated in the Jury's Box. As the Joker spoke, his goons dragged Nightwing out onto the stage with a bag over his head. With a violent kick to the back of his legs, Dick fell to his knees in front of the crowd, listening to Joker's prancing footsteps circling around him.

"Now, I know I promised you all a Bat show, but we've had a last minute recasting! PLease give a big round of applause to the one… the only… Nightwing!" Joker announced, ripping off the hood to reveal his captive prey. Nightwing felt a pit in his stomach when he saw who was attending this little show: Deathstroke, Sportsmaster, Penguin, Two Face, Black Mask, Poison Ivy, and Mr. Freeze were all seated in the audience, not to mention about a dozen petty criminals that Batman and Nightwing had put away over the years! There was an eerie irony to the setting… probably why Joker had chosen an abandoned courthouse as his venue. At one point or another, Nightwing had sent each of these criminals to stand before a judge, awaiting their fate. Now they were going to be the ones to decide his!

A rough hand gripped Nightwing's hair, ripping his head back so that Joker could lean into his ear.

"You know my favourite part about a live show? Audience participation!" Joker laughed, shoving Nightwing to the ground and keeping him there with a harsh kick to the ribs.

"House rules! You each get 10 minutes with the bird, in which you can do whatever you want! Well, anything short of killing him. We're going to wait for the Bat to join us for that grand finale! Now, who wants to go first?"

Artemis was pacing around the cell. Dick had been gone for almost four hours now and in that time, Artemis had scoured every inch of this place looking for a way out. There were no windows, and only one door that was securely locked. The bars were too narrow to slip through and too strong to if she could escape from the cell, there were armed guards posted at the entrance to the cell block and she was far too injured to best chance at escape was to wait until she and Nightwing were taken out of the cell block for whatever new 'games' Joker had planned. If they could somehow slip away into the shadows, they'd be safe. Both Nightwing and Tigress had been well trained in remaining unseen. Of course, this plan would only work if they both survived long enough to be taken out of the cell, and after four hours with the Joker, Artemis was starting to fear for her friend's life.

"I see you've stumbled into a bit of trouble, Babygirl. This wouldn't have happed if you stayed with me." Artemis turned on her heels and raised her arms, defensively reacting to the all-too-familiar voice.

"Sportsmaster." She hissed.

"Where's Nightwing. What has Joker done with him?"

"He'll be back soon. Deathstroke was just finishing up with the kid when I left. Don't worry, Babygirl, you'll get to spend at least one more night with the Bird. Joker's not executing Nightwing until tomorrow." Sportsmaster taunted, enjoying the fury that flashed through his daughter's eyes. Artemis gripped the cell bars, wishing her anger was enough to fuel some superhuman strength. Instead, all she managed was to provoke a condescending chuckle from her old man.

"Don't worry, you won't be stuck in here tomorrow. I've asked Joker to bring you out for the show. Maybe once you see how weak and pathetic your friends really are, you'll be more inclined to join the family business."

"Never!" Artemis hissed, gripping the bars to tight that her knuckles turned white. Despite the mask covering his features, she just knew her father was smirking, and she wanted nothing more than to wipe that sickening smile off his face!

A loud BANG echoed through the cell block as the door was kicked open and several goons poured inside dragging along a barely-conscious figure. Artemis gasped at the sight of her beaten friend. The cell door was opened and Nightwing was unceremoniously thrown inside, left in a bloody heap on the floor. They weren't even decent enough to remove his cuffs.

"Looks like Deathstroke had fun. Have a good night Babygirl, I'll see you tomorrow." Sportsmaster sneered, leaving with the other goons.

Artemis fell to her knees beside Dick, ignoring the pain in her own ribs and shoulder as she rested his head in her lap.

"Nightwing?" Artemis was shocked to see he was still conscious. She was answered with a pain-filled groan and a frightening strained voice. Nightwing never showed pain or weakness, so to see him like this was absolutely terrifying!

"N-not feeling the a-aster…" He muttered, trying to make light of the situation, even now.

As far as she could tell, NIghtwing had several broken ribs, a broken arm, fractured wrist, and dislocated shoulder. He had gashes, welts, and burns all over his body, easily visible through his ripped uniform. It looked like every inch over skin was covered in dark purple bruises and his face was swollen so much he could hardly see through his mask.

"You're going to be ok Dick. We're going to get out of this. You know Robin won't stop until he finds you. We've just got to stay traught, like you said. We'll make it through this." Artemis said, wondering who she was trying to convince: Nightwing, or herself.

"They're g-going to kill me Artemis. T-tomorrow… Joker's m-making a big show of it. When th-they do, they'll all be d-distracted. You'll have y-your chance." Dick muttered, causing Artemis to shake her head in stubborn denial.

"No, we're both getting out of this Dick! I can't just…" Nightwing's defeated gaze was enough to silence her.

"Look after the team. Take care of my brothers. And… look out for Bruse. This wasn't his fault… make sure he knows that." Dick told her, knowing the only way to inspire some fight in Artemis was to give her a mission to fulfill once he was gone.

Dick closed his eyes, pretending he couldn't hear the stifled sobs coming from his best friend. As he drifted into an uneasy sleep, he let his mind wonder. He wondered if Tim would take up the mantle of Nightwing once he was gone. Would Jason miss him? Would he even care? Would the team erect one of those memorials for him down in the grotto? Would he get to see Wally again?


	10. Chapter 10 - The Grand Finale

"Wakey, wakey, kiddies! You don't want to sleep through the big finale!" Dick wasn't sure which was more painful: his injuries from yesterday's beating, or waking up to the revolting laughter of the Joker.

Dick opened his eyes and caught a glimpse of Artemis's face through his swollen eyes. Her cheeks were red and puffy, it was obvious she'd been crying again. Artemis was a strong soul, it was rare for her to let her emotions out like this. Not that he could blame her. Today was the day she would watch her best friend die before her eyes. He wanted to offer some kind of comfort, but what was there to say? _Everything will be ok. It'll all be over soon. I'll be in a better place. You're going to be fine…_ They both knew that wasn't true. Neither Dick nor Artemis had recovered from Wally's death, so how could he expect her to cope with his?

"Remember what I told you. You need to get out and look after the others. Artemis, I…"

"Don't." Tigress cut him off, not wanting to hear any final goodbyes.

"Just… don't make it easy for them." She told him.

On the Joker's orders, several of his goons poured into the cell and ripped Dick and Artemis apart. Dick was too weak to fight back and Artemis was limited in what she could do with broken ribs and a bullet in her shoulder. It wasn't long before the two injured heroes were being dragged out of the cell block and into the courtroom. Dick was pulled back up on stage while Artemis was lead to the witness stand, in perfect view of the upcoming execution. The crowd of awaiting criminals were cheering and applauding the damage they had each caused the day before. Artemis' eyes met her father's and she glared at him with unforgiving eyes, which caused Sportsmaster to let out an amused laugh.

"Lighten up Babygirl, this Bird is finally going to get what he deserves."

"Right you are Sporty! Birdbrain has been giving us all trouble for years! He 's been following Batsy around since he was in diapers!" Joker taughted, prancing around on the makeshift stage as if this was some kind of performance.

"I was nine." Nightwing corrected, only to be answered with a bought of insane laughter.

"You were still in diapers at nine?! Not a very clever Bird, are you? And here I thought you were supposed to be one of the smart ones!" Joker teased.

_Great_. Nightwing thought. _It's not enough that he tortures me and kills me, he has to humiliate me first._

"Where's the Bat? I thought you said you wanted the big man to watch as we buried the bird." Poison Ivy cooed from her seat in the Jury's box. Some of the other criminals looked disappointed at the lost opportunity to punish their greatest foe, while others seemed unsurprised.

"If it was that easy to lure Batman into a trap, we would have done away with him years ago. He won't show. Not even with his precious little sidekick on the line." Black Mask snapped back. The frustrated rants that sparked after that were silenced a few moments later by the giddy laughter emanating from their host.

"There's been a change of plans. Batsy won't be joining us, but that doesn't mean he has to miss the fun! We're going to record the whole show so he won't miss a single detail!" Joker announced, bringing out a small camcorder and holding it up to his own face.

"Hi there Batsy! So sorry you couldn't join the party, but don't worry! We took good care of your little Birdie for you!" The clown giggled as he danced around, scanning the camera over the crowd of villains before finally settling on Nightwing's broken form.

"Acest lucru nu este vina ta…" _This is not your fault_. Dick said, reverting to his Romani tongue so that Bruce would understand, but his final words were cut short as Joker slammed the camcorder against his head, knocking Nighting to the floor.

"How rude! Sending secret messages? Talking to the Bat behind our backs? After we spent all that time yesterday trying to teach you some manners… well, I guess you're just a lost cause. There's only one thing left to do!" Joker pouted as he tossed the camcorder to one of his goons so they could record the whole scene. The crowd erupted in excited whispers of anticipation and Dick glanced back at Artemis, seeing the tears welling up in her eyes. Nightwing shook his head, silently warning her not to try to fight. This was her one chance to escape, she had to run while they were distracted by his execution. One of the tears finally spilled down Artemis' cheek as she nodded back, showing she understood. She prepared herself to make a break for the exit and Dick turned his eyes back to the Joker.

Despite his broken body, Nightwing used what little strength he had left, to pull himself up onto his knees. If he was going to die, he was going to meet his death with dignity and strength. If his friends and family were going to see this video, he wanted them to know he was strong and brave right until the end. Nightwing looked straight ahead as Joker pulled out his handgun and pressed the barrel to the center of Dick's forehead.

"Now for the grand finale! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… The death of Nightwing!" And with one last crazed laugh, Joker pulled the trigger.


	11. Chapter 11 - The Future Looks Dim

A shot rang out over the dust-covered speakers and the two heroes cringed at the sight of their fallen friend. Superboy had seen this footage before, but the shock of watching NIghtwing's lifeless body fall to the floor amidst Joker's victorious laughter and Artemis' heartbreaking screams, never left him. Wally, however, was seeing this nightmare for the first time.

"Batman saw this?" Wally asked with a shake in his voice, still staring at the motionless bird on the tv screen.

"Everyone saw this. Joker sent the video to every broadcast station in Gotham. This video was all over the news before we could stop it. Batman was still off world at the time, but he insisted on seeing the footage himself once he got home. I don't think he was willing to believe it until he saw it for himself." Superboy explained.

"And this… Nightwing's death is what caused all of this?" Wally asked, finally tearing his eyes away from the screen to gaze around at the remnants of the Batcave. The entire cave had been destroyed: gadgets crushed and broken, the infamous Bat-Computer cracked and neglected, the Batmobile half-buried in rubble… the only thing left untouched in this decrepit cave were three glass cases proudly displaying the iconic costumes of Robin, Red Hood, and Nightwing. Yet the destruction of the cave was nothing compared to the world outside of it. When Wally first arrived, he found himself in a futuristic wasteland. Cities had been destroyed, the Mountain and the Watchtower were gone, the citizens were terrified, and the heroes… most of them couldn't even be called that anymore.

"Nightwing's death started it." Superboy explained. Due to his inability to age and his near-indestructible body, Connor Kent was about the only familiar thing Wally found in this world. The rest of the team had either changed into someone unrecognizable, or died in the process. It was a rude awakening for Wally. The last thing he remembered was running alongside Flash and Impulse and feeling his strength start to fail him. When he woke up, he found himself in this apocalyptic world. Wally was lucky Superboy found him and together they reasoned out what must have happened. Wally wasn't killed the day of the invasion, he was teleported through time! The speed generated by the three speedsters opened a warp in the timeline, sending Kid Flash twenty years into the future. The future that Impulse had gone back to prevent, still happened… but it wasn't Flash's death that caused it, it was Nightwing's.

"But how? You said this video sparked a war between Batman and Superman, causing the league to split." Wally asked, trying to put the pieces together. Both Superman and Batman would have been affected by Nightwing's death, so how come they ended up on opposite sides?

"Batman gave up his no kill policy. He started with the Joker and then went after each of the criminals that were in the courthouse that day. Superman couldn't stand for that much bloodshed. Half the league sided with Batman, the others with Superman. Eventually, the dispute turned into an all out war." Superboy explained. Wally had heard most of this before. he had been questioning Connor since their reunion two weeks ago, but he still couldn't believe what he was hearing. Batman turning into a killer? Superman going to war against one of his strongest allies? It didn't make any sense!

"I don't understand how Batman could kill the Joker. I mean, I don't blame him. After seeing that, there's nothing I want more than to wipe that grin off that clown's face. But Batman wouldn't lose track of his moral code. He didn't even kill the Joker after Jason died. Now you're telling me he went on a murderous rampage after losing his oldest son?" Wally asked, watching as COnnor winced and diverted his eyes.

"It wasn't just Nightwing. After they saw the footage, Robin and Red Hood went to take the Joker down… unsuccessfully."

"You mean…?"

"Batman lost all three of his sons that night." Connor admitted.

Somewhere off in the distance, the two could hear the rumble of another explosion. The sound had become almost as familiar as the the whoosh of the Zeta Beam.

"I have to stop it. Bart went back in time to save the future, I can do the same thing. I'll track down Nutron, he should be able to help me build a time machine. I can stop all of this, all I have to do is save Nightwing, the rest should fall into place." Wally stated with a new determination glowing in his eyes. he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and Connor smiled back with a sad look in his eyes.

"I'll be sad to see you go. It's been nice to have you back Wally. We really missed you." Connor told him. Wally flashed back one of his typical speedster smirks.

"If all goes well, you won't have to."

Author's note: I wanted to explore a little more of what Wally would have experienced waking up in this desolate future, but I hate to deter from the main story line for too long. If there's enough interest, I might write a sequel to "The End" following Wally's perspective from the time he wakes up, until the time he returns to the past. If you're interested, please let me know in the reviews. The next chapter of "The End" will be up later today.


	12. Chapter 12 - So Close

_Nightwing looked straight ahead as Joker pulled out his handgun and pressed the barrel to the center of Dick's forehead._

"_Now for the grand finale! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you… The death of Nightwing!" And with one last crazed laugh, Joker pulled the trigger._

Artemis screamed and forced her eyes shut as she heard the piercing sound of the shot that was meant to end her best friend's life. She had promised Dick that she would run, but how could she? She was stunned, frozen in place, completely crippled by her shock and grief. A furious shout caused her to open her eyes once more, finding Joker's gun now pointed at her. The rest of the room seemed to fade into a blur as she stared down the barrel of that gun and to Artemis' surprise, she felt calm. A sense of resolve seemed to settle over her as she accepted the fact that she was about to die. Is this what Dick felt just moments ago? Was this what Wally felt as he gave his uncle his final words? Joker's finger tensed around the trigger, but instead of the stabbing pain she had excepted from the bullet, Artemis felt the rush of wind through her hair and the sting of the open air against her wounds. She knew this feeling… she must be dead. How else could she be running with Wally?

The feeling suddenly stopped and Artemis felt herself settled against the cold stone floor of some dark room. She felt someone lying beside her, propped up against the wall, while a third figure stood by the door, making sure they hadn't been followed before locking them inside and pulling out his bag.

"Tigress?" A worn voice spoke out from beside her.

"Nightwing! But how…?" Artemis grabbed the figure beside her, momentarily forgetting his injuries in her utter relief that he had survived. But how? She saw the gun, she heard the shot! Not even Dick was fast enough to spring out of that one, even in perfect condition! Nightwing seemed to have the same thought. He shifted protectively in front of Artemis and narrowed his eyes towards the figure still guarding the door.

"Too tall to be Impulse, too short to be Flash. Who are you?" Dick demanded, trying his best to hide the obvious weakness in his voice. The figure gave a familiar chuckle as he pulled out two glow sticks from his back and cracked them, filling the small room with an eerie greenish glow.

"Oh come on, I'm almost as tall as Flash!" Wally teased, lifting one glow stick towards his face and tossing the other to Artemis, who was so stunned she let the light bounce out of her hands and fall to the floor.

Artemis got to her feet, staring at the face that was now visible in the dim green glow. She took a tentative step forward and reached her hand out to touch his cheek, almost flinching when she discovered what she was seeing was real. This was no dream or hallucination, Wally was really here!

"Wally!" Despite her fractured ribs and injured shoulder, Artemis threw her arms around the speedster's neck and buried her face into his shoulder. Her shoulders shook with silent sobs as Wally's arms tightened around her back, holding her in his embrace.

"It's ok Babe, I'm here. It's really me."

"KF? How? We watched you die two years ago! How…?" Nightwing trailed off, not even sure what he should be asking. He tried to stand, needing to lean on the wall for support. Artemis and Wally hurried over to help him, not wanting Dick to put too much strain on his injuries. Wally winced at his friend's weakened condition as Nightwing laboured over the effort to stay on his feet. Joker must have put him through a hell of a beating. Wally began picking the locks on Dick's shackled wrists and once he was free, the speedster felt the shaking hands settle on his shoulders.

"I thought you were dead Wally." Nightwing repeated.

"I know. It's a bit of a long story. I'll explain later, right now I've got to get you two out of here. No doubt that psychotic clown is tearing this place apart trying to find you."

"Yeah, him and the rest of Gotham's finest." Night groaned, not able to take his eyes off of Wally in fear that his long lost best friend would suddenly vanish. This still didn't seem real, but they had no time to argue with his senses. Even now, the hallway on the other side of the door were flooding with footsteps as Joker's goons and the other villains hunted for their captives. Dick felt a chill run up his spine as he heard one set of footsteps paused right outside their door.

"You locked it, right?" Artemis whispered as the footsteps drew closer to their hiding place.

"Do you think that'll make much difference?" Wally whispered back, knowing that no Gotham villain will be deterred by a simple bolt lock. Wally shifted Nightwing over towards Artemis so she could support him.

"Arty, take Dick and make a dash for the exit. I'll clear your way."

"What?!" Both Dick and Artemis hissed in unison.

"KF, we're not leaving you!" Dick insisted.

"Yes you are! Red Hood is waiting outside! He'll take you somewhere safe. now GO!" Wally shouted just as the door burst off its hinges, revealing Sportsmaster. Wally lunged at the mercenary, giving Artemis enough time to pull Dick out of the room and towards the exit. Just a few more steps and this nightmare would be over! Just a few more steps… the lights in the hallway cut out, leaving them in utter darkness. All that could be heard aside from Nightwing's laboured breathing was an eerie laughter echoing throughout the halls.


	13. Chapter 13 - Red Hood

Red Hood was sitting in a stolen van, parked across the street from the courthouse. It was frustrating enough being told to "just wait here, I'll take care of this" from the long-dead speedster, but Wally was certainly taking his sweet time! All he had to do was sprint in, grab Dick and Artemis, and sprint out. Why the hell was this taking so long?

"Robin calling Red Hood. Are you there?" The voice carried across the communicator and Jason groaned in annoyance. The brat had been trying to call him all night, but he was just too damn persistent to ignore any longer.

"What is it?" Jason hissed back with his typical bitter tone. The short silence that followed was enough to tell how shocked Tim had been by Jason's response. Usually, trying to contact his older brother was pointless. Jason had disowned the Batclan years ago, after Batman sent him to Belrev. Red Hood had never held any respect for Robin and the only reason Tim even bothered trying to call was because he knew Jason and Dick used to be close.

"Spit it out, Replacement. I haven't got all day." Jason urged, quickly growing impatient as he waited for Wally to return.

"Um… right. It's about Nightwing. He and Artemis were kidnapped by the Joker 38 hours ago. We've got no leads, there's no sign of Joker, and Batman's still off world… we need help." Tim asked. Surely Jason still cared enough about his brother to help find him, right?

"The Bat should learn not to let the Joker get ahold of his birds. Or better yet, just end that clown once and for all." Jason growled, having his own personal demons about Batman's arch rival.

"Don't sweat it kid, I've already found the Golden Boy." Jason replied, hearing the relieved sigh echo through the communicator.

"You found him? What about Artemis? Are they ok? Where are you? Can we help?" The rush of questions only added to Red Hood's annoyance.

"I'll handle it kid, just stay…" Jason was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass, and he looked up in time to see Artemis crashing through the window and landing painfully on the razored shards. The shouts and screams that had previously been muted by the glass, now flooded into the streets, causing Jason to jump out of the van and start sprinting towards the courthouse.

"Robin, send a team to the old courthouse on Hickard and Main." Jason ordered, dropping to his knee beside Artemis. The girl was unconscious, covered in cuts and bruises, but she seemed stable enough. He would have to come back for the others. Damn speedsters, can't do anything right! Jason carried Artemis towards the van, setting her in the back so she'd be safe while he helped the others.

When Wally had come back from the dead, appearing on Jason's doorstep with a story about Dick being killed by the Joker, Jason wasn't sure he believed it. He told Wally that even if Dick did die, it wouldn't cause both he and Tim to rush into a deadly mission without planning, and it certainly wouldn't make Batman drop his morals and go on a killing spree. But the truth was, if something happened to his brother, Jason would be the first to rush in after the Joker, no matter what the risks. Even now, knowing that they were vastly outnumbered and that help wouldn't arrive for another several minutes, Jason was vaulting through the shattered window, into the dark, bloody hallway of the courthouse.

With the afternoon light now streaming through into the hallway, Red Hood could see what had taken Wally so long. The speedster was struggling to break free from Poison Ivy's restraining vines, while taking hits from Two Face, Sportsmaster, and Deathstroke. Nightwing was on the ground with his arms painfully pinned beneath Joker's knees as the clown traced the blade of a knife along the edge of Dick's mask. The rest of the criminals were gathered around either of the heroes, laughing victoriously as they punished their captives for daring to escape.

Jason didn't hesitate. He drew his handgun and fired the shots into the crowd surrounding Dick, charging towards the group as he did. When he was close enough, Jason slammed the holy of his gun against Joker's head to knock him away from his brother. Joker didn't seem fazed. In fact, he seemed quite amused by the sudden apparent of Red Hood.

"Didn't I already kill you? You had your chance Red, now it's Birdbrain's turn to play!" Joker cackled, slashing his blade back at the hooded hero. Jason easily dodged the blade, but he couldn't risk backing too far away from Dick. Other criminals were closing in, and it didn't look like Golden Boy had any fight left in him! Red hood blocked another slash of Joker's vlade and redirected the knife into one of the masked goons that had rushed in to help. He used the distraction to drop to Dick's side and pull him to his feet. Disk felt like dead weight in his arms, far too weak to escape on his own. Jason would have to drag him out, but doing so would leave him unable to protect himself. The speedster was still occupied with his own assailants and the archer was still unconscious in the van!

"Replacement!" Jason hissed into the communicator as he dragged Dick back from the group, using his one free arm to parry as many of the incoming attacks as he could.

"Almost there!" Robin's urgent tone echoed back to him. Almost wasn't good enough, they needed reinforcements NOW!

Jason felt a sharp tear in his side as one of the goons caught him with the edge of a blade. He shifted Dick behind him, shielding his older brother from any further damage as the group closed in. Joker raised his blade with a sickening grin on his face, but before he could plunge it down into the young hero, the hallway was filled with a familiar black, blinding smoke.


	14. Chapter 14 - Worse than we Thought

The black smoke curled around the mix of heroes and villains, blinding everyone within the confines of the hallway. From the startled gasps, frustrated shouts, and unmistakable sounds of people banging into unseen obstacles, it wounded as if the smoke had successfully paused the fight. Jason wasn't the least bit disoriented by the smoke. Having trained with Batman, he was familiar with the age old Ninja trick and used the temporary distraction to his advantage. Jason lifted Dick to his feet and dragged him through the smoke, using the sensory lenses in his helmet to guide him.

Jason backtracked to the shattered window and pulled himself and Dick out into the open air. He hated to run in the middle of a fight, but the piercing pain in his side forced him to retreat. He was in no condition to fight and Dick and Artemis were in pretty desperate need of medical attention as well.

"The smoke… Robin's back there. You can't leave him." Dick whispered hoarsely, feebling struggling as Jason dragged him towards the van.

"The Replacement's fine. He's got the team to watch his back. Worry about yourself for once." Jason growled, pulling open the van door and resting Dick inside next to Artemis. The elder hero looked like he was a dead man walking! How he could have survived the past two days was beyond Jason. Yet, Dick was still trying to fight his way past his little brother to go back for the kid!

"The team can hardly handle one of Gotham's villains, nevermind a court house full of them! They'll get themselves killed Jason!" Dick tried to stand only to be forcefully shoved back into the van by his little brother.

"Dammit Dick, you're the one acting like he's got a death wish! Fine, I'll make sure they're out! Just sit back and shut up for a while, won't you?" Red Hood hissed, activating his communicator.

"Hey kid, Golden Boy says retreat. Get the team out of there, asap."

"You want us to just leave? What about Joker? Two Face? Deathstroke?" Robin's voice echoed through, naming only a handful of the highly dangerous fugitives that were fighting against the team.

"We let Batman handle it when he get's back. No arguments, Replacement. Get the team out. I'm taking Nightwing and Tigress back to my place. Check in once you're home." Jason instructed, hearing yet another objection, this time from his other brother.

"No, take us to the Batcave. Alfred can patch us up. Artemis won't last 'til your place… and neither will you." Dick pointed out, motioning to the blood seeping through Jason's t-shirt. The latter pulled his leather jacket around to cover the wound, annoyed with Dick's reasoning. He hadn't been to the cave since Batman arrested him, and he sure as hell wasn't looking forward to going back.

"Bruce is still offworld." Dick noted, as if he could read the concerns in Jason's mind.

"He won't be back for days. Come on Jay."

Before Jason could answer, a small gust of wind rushed past and Wally suddenly appeared beside the van.

"What's the hold up? Come on, we gotta move! The team's out, they're gonna Zeta back to the Mountain. Move it Red, we've gotta get Dick and Artemis to the med wing."

With the suggestion of going to the Mountain, somehow the Batcave didn't sound like a bad option. At least Bruce wasn't home. If Jason set foot in the Mountain, he would have no escape from those self-righteous heroes! Besides, he was starting to feel weak from the stab in his side and he didn't trust anyone to stitch him up other than Alfred. Getting in the driver's seat, Jason sped away from the courthouse. Wally and Dick were both fussing over the fresh cuts that littered Artemis' body from her crash through the window. The heroine was just starting to stir when they entered the cave.

Jason parked the stolen van beside the batmobile and helped Dick limp out of the vehicle (putting additional strain on his open wound in the process), while Wally carried the rousing Tigress. They had just stepped into the Medical Bay when a familiar, concerned voice echoed through the room.

"Master Jason? What brings you… my word! Master Dick, Miss Artemis… Lay them down. I will call Dr. Leslie. I think this is beyond my abilities." The English butler started when he saw the condition of his young charges. He was so concerned with the injured, it took him a moment to recognize the fourth figure in the room.

"Master Wallace?! But, I thought… How is this possible? Does the league know about this?" Alfred asked, rushing around to gather whatever medical supplies were needed. Wally stood at Artemis's wide, holding her hand as she woke, while Dick rested on the table beside her. Jason was standing off to the side, not wanting to interfere. He hadn't been a part of a group like this in years. He probably would have avoided this too, if it weren't for Wally showing up on his doorstep a few days earlier, telling him that Dick was about to be killed! Besides, the pain was starting to make him feel dizzy and he didn't want to draw any further attention to himself.

"I haven't told anyone yet. Jason was the only one who knew I was back and he… Jay!" Red hood suddenly collapsed against the wall, clutching his hand to his wounded side. Alfred was at his side in seconds, pulling his hand away to inspect the wound, but as soon as he saw the amount of blood bubbling from the open slice in his side, he replaced the pressure and turned to Wally with urgent eyes.

"Master Wallace, you need to run and get Dr. Leslie. You're the only one that can get her here fast enough! Hurry! Master Jason is in far worse condition than we thought!"


	15. Chapter 15 - Vincible

When Dick woke up, the first thing he was aware of was the pain coursing through his body. Alfred's pain killers must have worn off while he was passed out. He lay still for a moment, taking full stock of his injuries. He knew he had several broken ribs that Alfred had bound in place with thick white bandages. the multiple cuts and gashes were either wrapped with goss or sealed with stitches. His left arm was wrapped and set in a sling, while his right wrist was immobilized with a brace. Whatever bits of skin were visible through the bandages were darkened with painful looking bruises, and every shifting movement sent a fresh jolt of pain though his body. Dick was no stranger to injuries, but he couldn't think of a time when he had ever been in this rough of shape. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing at his protesting muscles.

"Careful. Alfred won't be happy if you rip your stitches." Tim warned, peering up at his older brother from his seat at the end of his bed. Alfred must have moved Dick back up to his room after he had passed out. Having been living on his own for the past two years, it was a comfort to be back in his familiar room in Wayne Manor.

"Next time I tell you that going after Joker alone is a bad idea, do us all a favour and listen to me." he complained, causing Dick to smirk. He wondered when Tim would start in with the I told you so's.

"Hey, I wasn't alone. How's Artemis doing, anyway? She took a bad hit to the head when we were taken." Dick asked.

"She's got a pretty severe concussion, a few broken ribs, bruises, cuts, a sprained ankle, but considering she was beaten by the Joker and then thrown through a window, I'd say she's pretty good. She's in the living room with Wally." That last bit made Dick's eyes widen. He had almost convinced himself that Wally's return was a dream. How could the speedster be alive after two years? Dick was anxious to join the others and interrogate his long lost friend, but before he did, there was one more person he needed to know about.

"What about Jason?"

"He's recovering in the medical ward. There was quite a bit of blood loss, some minor internal damage… the surgery was successful but he hasn't woken up yet. Doc says he'll need to rest here for a few days... I'm not sure how long we'll be able to keep him here though. Once Batman get's back, Jason will be desperate to get out." Tim noted.

"Jay shouldn't have gotten involved." Dick stated, realizing how close they had come to losing Jason to the Joker for the second time. If the team had shown up seconds later, Jason would be dead! Even so, bringing the team in put even more lives at risk, especially with many of Gotham's infamous villains in one spot!

"And you should have known better than to drag the team into a situation like that. They could have been killed Tim. You know our protocols when one of us is captured: First attempt, take the cautious approach, retrieve the captive without being seen. If that fails, you wait for Batman." Dick insisted, provoking a defiant glare from his little brother.

"If we waited for Bruce, you, Artemis, and Wally would be dead!"Tim argued, not liking his brother's self-sacrificing attitude. He knew Dick didn't want anyone else dying for him, but didn't he realize how much his death would have affected them? The team would have been devastated!

"KF could have got Artemis out. There was no need to risk that many lives. Look Tim, it's over now and we were lucky enough not to lose anyone during the fight, but if this happens again, stick to the protocols." Dick ordered. He knew the younger hero wanted to protest, but he didn't give Tim the chance.

"When you lead a mission, you are responsible for every member of your team. You can't break protocol and risk their lives just because of your own personal feelings Tim." With that, Tim lowered his eyes and nodded in agreeance. It was a lesson they had both learned from training under Batman: you did whatever the mission required of you, despite personal feelings. Sometimes that meant sacrificing the lives of a few in order to protect the many. In this case, it meant not risking those few for the sake of one, even if that one happened to be Nightwing.

"Why don't you go check on Jay. I need to get some answers." Dick left his little brother to attend to Jason while he made his way down the stairs towards the living room where Artemis and Wally were waiting.

Wally was sitting on the couch with Artemis curled up beside him, resting her head on his chest. The speedster was lightly brushing his hand through her blonde hair as the two sat in silence, just enjoying the fact that they were finally back together. Alerted by the approaching footsteps, the couple turned to greet their wounded friend.

"How are you feeling?" Artemis asked as Dick stepped in and sat in the chair across from them. The coffee table in front of them had been set with a fresh pot of tea and a plate of warm cookies, showing that Alfred had been taking care of his guests while Dick was resting.

"Vincible." Dick replied, flashing Wally a small smirk.

"As opposed to invincible? Still butchering the english language I see." Wally chuckled, shaking his head. He was glad for the light humour; it helped distract from the awkwardness of Wally returning from the dead just in time to save their lives. Of course, the moment couldn't last, and soon Dick's face fell into a more solemn expression.

"Wally, we thought you were dead. Now, two years later you show up out of nowhere and save our lives. If you were alive, why didn't you let us know? After the pain we went through following your dead… I think you owe us an explanation. Where have you been?" Dick asked. His thoughts were echoed by the deep voice of the figure standing in the doorway, still in full costume.

"That's what I want to know." Batman stepped into the room with his eyes pulled down in an angry glare. Having received a distress call from Green Arrow the day before, Batman aborted his off world mission and returned to Earth as soon as possible, arriving in time to find two of his sons in critical condition and a certain speedster returned from the dead!

"You three, to the Cave, now."


	16. Chapter 16 - Reunion

"Wally!"

The force hit the young hero so fast it almost knocked him off his feet, were it not for the strong arms that now wrapped him in a tight embrace. All he saw was a flash of red, but that was enough for the young speedster to recognize who was holding him. Wally raised his arms and hugged his uncle back. He hadn't realized until now how much he had missed the Flash of the present. Wally had found his uncle in the future, but he wasn't the same. Wally's disappearance and the battle that followed Nightwing's death had changed the man he once viewed like a father. It was a relief to know it wasn't to late to get his uncle back.

"Uncle Barry, I…"

"What happened to you? Where have you been for the last two years? Whathappenedafteryoudisappeared? Areyouhurt? Areyougoingtobeok? waituntilitellyourmotherthatyou'vebeenalivethisentiretime!"

"Flash!" Batman's harsh tone interrupted the steady stream of concern flooding from Wally's uncle. Barry broke the hug, but kept his hand on the boy's shoulder, not wanting to let him go in case he disappeared again.

"We all have questions, but first thing's first. We need a DNA sample to ensure this is the real Wally West. We all saw Kid Flash die that day, two years ago. We need to be sure that this is not an imposter or a clone sent by our enemies."

"An imposter? But Wally saved our lives back there!" Artemis protested as Batman stepped forward to draw some blood from the returned hero. Once he got what he needed, Batman retreated to his computer to run the necessary tests, leaving the others to hear Wally's story.

"Alright, out with it KF. What happened to you?" Dick demanded. The speedster sighed, not sure how much detail he should give. There was no use dwelling on the past...or rather, the prevented future. Kid didn't want to have to share the details of the apocalyptic world he had lived in for the past several months, especially since saving Dick had, hopefully, prevented such horrors from ever happening. Instead, Wally stuck with the basics, hoping it would be enough to satisfy the others.

"Well, as you know, I wasn't fast enough to escape the surges. I thought the blast was going to kill be, but instead, the combined speed of Flash, Impulse, and I created a tear in the fabric of time. I woke up twenty years in the future. It took a couple months, but Bart's old pal Neutron finally helped me build another time machine, like what the kid used to come here in the first place. Of course, he hadn't actually built Bart's time machine yet, since the kid hadn't even been born yet. Funny enough, Neutron probably used the plans for my time machine to help Bart build his twenty years later… ha, you gotta love time travel." Wally explained, realizing how crazy all of this sounded. Luckily, the proof of his story came a few moments later.

"The DNA results confirmed it. This is, in fact, the same Wally West that disappeared two years ago." Batman announced, returning from his tests.

"Wait, you had a time machine that could have taken you back to ANY moment in your past, and you decided to show up two years later? Wally, we thought you _died!_ Why didn't you just go back to the night you disappeared? You could have saved us all from thinking we lost a friend!" Dick's accusation hit Wally hard and he wasn't sure how to defend himself without revealing too much. He knew how much his disappearance had hurt his team, and he wished more than anything that he could have gone back to that night, but the matter was far more complicated than Dick knew!

"Nightwing's got a point. Why didn't you return to that night, Kid? You must have known how hard it was for us to lose you." Flash added, echoed by Artemis' concerns.

"Two years is a long time, Wally. A lot happened after you disappeared. I came out of retirement, Nighting left the team… we could have used you." While Artemis' words were born out of concern, Dick's were fueled with anger and frustration! How dare Wally let them suffer like that for two entire years!

"How could you put us through that? You let us believe you were dead! Impulse and Flash blamed themselves for what happened that night! M'gaan cried for weeks! The entire team mourned you! Barry lost a partner, Artemis lost her boyfriend, dammit Wally, I lost my best friend that day! Do you have any idea how painful it is to watch your best friend die?!"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do!" Wally shouted back, unable to hold his tongue any longer. He was expecting the team to be angry at him for not returning sooner, but he refused to let Dick undermine his own suffering. Dick may have witnessed Wally's disappearance, but Wally had seen Dick take a bullet right between his eyes! If there was anything Wally understood, it was the pain of watching your best friend die!

"How could you possibly understand?" Dick growled, not prepared for what Wally was about to say.

"Why do you think I came back no, NiIghtwing? How do you think I knew where you were?" The reactions were unanimous around the room. As each of the heroes made the connection, they fell silent with wide eyes. Artemis was the only one to voice everyone's thoughts aloud.

"If Wally hadn't been there to stop the Joker…" She trailed off, letting Wally confirm the gory truth.

"You died Dick."


	17. Chapter 17 - Explanations

"If Wally hadn't been there to stop the Joker…" Artemis trailed off, letting Wally confirm the gory truth.

"You died Dick."

"What makes me so special? Tula, Jason, they both died too Wally. Countless more have been gravely injured. Just in the past few days, Artemis was beaten, Barbara's in critical condition at the Mountain, Jason's been stabbed… Why was my life more important than theirs?" Dick demanded. His recent depression mixed with his typical self-sacrificial behaviour was outraged by Wally prioritizing his life over the team's.

"You're my best friend Dick. I wasn't going to let you die…"

"That better not be your only reason!" Dick snapped back.

"You've been gone for two years Wally, and the day you come back you almost get yourself killed trying to save me! You dragged Jason into this mess and he got stabbed! You put the entire team at risk when Jay called in reinforcements! Tell me you had a good reason for risking so many lives Wally. Tell me you didn't just sacrifice everyone else because you missed your best friend!" Dick argued. They were lucky no one else had died during the rescue. How could Wally have taken such a risk?

"You have no idea how much pain your death caused Dick!" Wally retorted, losing his patience.

"No more than theirs would have! The world doesn't end just because a hero dies, Wally!" Dick shouted, and Wally almost had to laugh at the irony.

"In your case, it did." Wally stated, lowering his voice now that he knew there was no avoiding the truth. He'd be forced to explain himself now.

"Joker recorded your murder, Dick. He sent a copy to every broadcasting station in the city. The entire team watched you die, including your brothers. Tim and Jason went after the Joker, and he killed them too." Wally began, recognizing the shocked gasps from Artemis and Barry, while Bruce suddenly tensed at the thought of losing all three of his sons.

"These recordings… you saw them, didn't you." Dick assumed, seeing how much the footage must have affected Wally. The speedster's hands were vibrating at his sides, a clear sign of nerves, and he was now refusing to make eye contact with the others in the room.

"That's how I knew how to save you. I came back one day in advance so I could be ready, but I couldn't intervene any sooner. As long as everything went the way it was supposed to, it was predictable. I could stop that bullet. But if I have tried to intervene earlier… if I had tried to save you or Artemis from those beatings, the future would have changed and I'd never know for sure whether I stopped it or not." Wally admitted. That was why he hadn't been able to show himself until Joker had the gun to Dick's head. If he had let anyone know he was alive, even the team, it could have altered history and he'd never have known how to save Dick's life! The only person he could talk to was Jason, who was completely isolated from the team. Since he was already avoiding contact with the others, Wally knew he wouldn't let slip any details about the future to the others. Besides, he had died in order to avenge his brother, Wally felt like he had to give Jason the option of helping to save him this time around.

"Batman was distraught when he lost all three of them. He killed the Joker, and then started hunting every other villain that was at the courthouse that day. Superman tried to stop him and… the whole League divided. They started a war. Our families and friends were pitted against each other, I had to stop it."]

By now, everyone in the room had fallen silent with shock. It took several seconds before that silence was finally broken.

"You three should return to the Mountain. I'm sure the rest of the team will want to see that all of you are alright. Once Jason has recovered, he'll be moved to the medical bay with Barbara. Under no circumstances are you or the team to return to Gotham until I've apprehended the villains from the courthouse." Batman stated as he walked towards the Zeta tube.

"You're not going after Joker, are you?" Barry spoke up, a little concerned at what Bruce was capable of after what his nephew had just admitted.

"Not yet. I need to talk to Superman first. We need to set up a contingency plan." Batman answered, provoking a questioning glance from Flash.

"I thought you had a contingency plan for Superman?"

"I do." Bruce replied as he stepped into the Zeta Beam.

"But now he needs one for me."


	18. Chapter 18 - The Calm before

The Mountain had been buzzing for hours, ever since they returned from the courthouse. The members who had caught a glimpse of Artemis and Dick's injuries were furious at the lack of news they had received about their wounded friends. The real gossip, however, revolved around the fact that several of the team swore they saw Wally West at the courthouse… which was impossible since he had been dead for two years. Even after hours of debating it, the team hadn't come up with any rational explanation for what they had seen, but they were about to get their answer.

Flash 04, Nightwing B01, Tigress B07, Kid Flash B03

The team, who had fallen silent as the Zeta Tube announced the arrival of their fellow members, suddenly erupted in a blaze of questions as the last name was called. The team all crowded around the Zeta Tube as the members appeared, and shocked gasps were heard throughout the room when Wally West stepped into view.

"Wally? Wally! It's really him!" M'Gaan cried out, rushing up to hug her long lost friend. The entire team was relieved to see the speedster home safe after two years of thinking he was dead, but the strongest reactions came from those closest to Wally.

"We have missed you, my friend." Kal'dur said, putting a strong hand on the Speedster's shoulder to welcome him home. M'Gaan's cheeks were streaked with joyful tears, and even Connor couldn't keep the wide grin of his usually somber was so excited to have his cousin back that he hadn't stopped his endless stream of speedtalk and not even Wally could fully understand him. Roy's reaction was probably Wally's favourite. When he saw Red Arrow step forward he was expecting some sort of emotional display, seeing as how Roy, Dick, and Wally had known each other the longest and the three of them had become like brothers over the years. Instead, Roy gave Wally a hard smack across the back of his head.

"Ow! Roy! What was that for?!"

"That was for getting yourself killed, you reckless little brat!" Roy replied, and when Dick laughed at the two, Roy twisted on his heels and gave the same smack to Nightwing!

"And you! That's for almost getting yourself killed by the Joker!"

"You hear that Nightwing? We'd better not die anymore or Roy's gonna kill us!" Wally laughed.

The rest of the evening was a huge celebration to welcome Wally back to the team. He must have told his story a dozen times, albet, leaving out many of the details about the team's future since Bart was constantly nagging him to "not reveal too many spoilers". By the time the sun set, Tim and Jason arrived with promising news from the Cave. Batman had arranged things with Superman, and the two of them were working together to round up the criminals that had been involved with the courthouse incident. Jason's surgery was a success and after a few days rest he'd be back on his feet. Considering the close call and the fact that Jason had saved Dick and Artemis' lives, Batman had agreed to give Jason one free pass. He would not be taking him back to Belrev under the condition that he stayed with the team until he was fully recovered.

Eventually, all those who didn't live at the Mountain, returned home for the night. Barbara and Jason were asleep in the medical ward, while M'Gaan, Kal'dur, Connor, Dick, Artemis, Roy and Tim stayed up talking until the wee hours of the morning. It was the first time in six years that the original team was all back together again. But they weren't the only ones regrouping after the harsh battle at the courthouse. In an old warehouse on the outskirts of Gotham, five villains gathered around to plot their revenge. Joker, Deathstroke, Poison Ivy, Sportsmaster, and Mr. Freeze were the only ones that hadn't yet been rounded up by Batman and Superman. All of them were furious that their captives had escaped and none were prepared to settle for failure.

"We know where they are. We've infiltrated the Mountain before, we can do it again." Sportsmaster suggested, feeling a personal insult that his own daughter had been one of the escaped captives. Artemis had humiliated him for the last time and he was no longer interested in showing mercy. This time, she would get one chance: either join his side like Jade did, or face the lethal consequences.

"Every time we try to storm the Mountain, those kids get the best of us. And each time they do, they up their security to make the Mountain even harder to infiltrate." Deathstroke contributed.

"But there's five of us this time. It's late enough that most of those little kiddies will be tucked in bed. We could catch them by surprise!" Ivy mused.

"With the amount of security they've got on the Mountain? Not likely."

"It's happened before. Several years ago, a team of androids ambushed the Mountain, very nearly eliminating the original six members of the Young Justice Team." Freeze added, which sparked a few interested glances from around the room.

"But they failed as well. They were close to killing those brats, but they still lost."

"They lost because they allowed the kids to bring in reinforcements. They cut communications, they sealed the exits, but they were stupid enough to let Robin and my daughter come in and ruin everything. If we destroy the Zeta Tubes once we're in those kids will be defenseless." Sportsmaster added. The room was suddenly buzzing with excited discussion. If they could successfully break into the Mountain and cut off the reinforcements, they could kill those pesky sidekicks once and for all! Joker let out a crazed laugh as the plan started to come together.

"Then it's settled! If the little Birdie and his friends won't come to Gotham, then Gotham will just have to go to them!"


	19. Chapter 19 - The Storm

"Sorry guys, no spoilers. Bart's already given me the full lecture on not spilling any secrets about the future." Wally insisted. They were all gathered in the lounge: Wally sitting on the couch with Artemis curled up beside him. Connor and M'gaan on the opposite couch, with Roy, while Dick and Tim sat cross-legged on the floor, and Kal'dur leaned up against the wall.

"Yeah, because Bart never lets anything slip." Artemis smirked sarcastically, prompting a chuckle from the rest of the room.

"Come on Wally. You said it yourself, that future's not going to happen anymore anyway. You gotta tell us something." Connor prompted.

"Alright, fine. Connor, I spent a lot of time with your future self, and there's one thing I gotta say: You are the youngest looking old man I've ever met." Wally teased. He was expecting at least a grin from the Kryptonian, but instead Connor frowned and turned his head towards the door.

"Oh Come on Supey, it was just a joke!" Wally pried, only to be silenced when Superboy raised a hand to shush the group.

"I thought I heard something…" Superboy explained, staying silent for a few more seconds before his eyes widened and he let out an urgent shout.

"Get down!" He yelled, shoving M'Gaan to the floor and shielding her as a thunderous blast shook the Mountain.

"M'Gaan, mind link! Kal'Dur, Connor, take Miss M. and see what's going on. Wally, Artemis, Roy, get to the medical ward and make sure Babs and Jason are safe. Tim, you're with me, we've got to contact the League." Dick ordered. An explosion at the Mountain couldn't be accidental, and with recent events he didn't have to take any chances! Without a second's hesitation, the team split off to investigate. While the three stronger members headed to confront the source of the blast, Wally carried Artemis to the medical ward, arriving just in time to see both Jason and Barbara waking up in a panic.

"What's going on?" Babs asked, struggling to get to her feet without too much strain on her injured back. Jason was at her side, lending a supportive arm, while his other hand was pressed against his bandaged side.

"There was an explosion, somewhere near the hanger. We don't know what caused it yet." Artemis and Wally hurried over to help the two while Roy caught up, staying outside to guard the door.

"M'Gaan, any word?"

"Artemis! Get Jason and Barbara out of here! We can't hold them!" M'Gaan's panicked voice cried out before a flash of pain surged through the mind link before it fell silent. M'Gaan must have been knocked out.

"Who is it? Who's here? M'Gaan?!" Artemis turned to the others with wide eyes. "She's not responding. Someone's attacking, but we don't know who!"

Just then the door to the medical ward burst open and Roy came tumbling inside, harshly kicked thrown to the ground by the masked man at the door.

"Allow me to shed some light on that, Baby Girl." Sportsmaster said in a smug retort as he and Deathstroke stepped inside. Wally helped Rob to his feet and both them and Jason (Despite the stab in his side) stood protectively in front of the two wounded girls.

"Nightwing… I think we're gonna need some reinforcements over here." Wally thought, not sure if anyone could still hear them through the link.

Even if they could, Nightwing and Robin were having their own issues.

"Nightwing to Watchtower! Watchtower, respond!"

Communication link to Watchtower is unresponsive.

"Computer, enable lockdown!"

Security System is unresponsive. Lockdown denied.

"Computer, initiate emergency protocol!"

System is unresponsive. Emergency Protocol denied.

"Dammit!" Nightwing cussed, unable to access any of the Mountains current security features. Whoever was breaking in must have taken out the communication's hub. Without it, they couldn't access the Mountain's security or call for help! As a last resort, Nightwing used his personal line to contact Bruce.

"Nightwing to Batman! Come in Batman!"

"Nightwing, report." Bruce's familiar gruff voice came through the line, causing both Tim and Dick to exchange a look of relief… albet, short-lived. A crazed laughter echoed throughout the room as Joker danced in, tossing mini-explosives at any bit of technology he could find. Nightwing had to grab Robin and pull him away from the computer in order to avoid one of the blasts!

"Batman, the Mountain is under attack. It's Joker and he's likely got others with him." Nightwing reported urgently, pulling Robin behind the stone wall so they'd be shielded from the explosions. Joker continued his assault on the Mountain's defenses, eerily singing to himself as he tossed his Joker Bombs at the computer, the security cameras, and finally, the Zeta Tube.

"What is your status?"

"Security systems and Zeta pathways are down. All known exits are blocked. The team is divided and unresponsive. Half of us are injured, the rest are exhausted. Batman, we won't be able to hold out for long." Dick explained, shooting Tim a concerned look.

"I'm on my way. Find the others and keep each other safe until the League arrives. And Nightwing… be careful. You know what will happen if Joker wins." Bruce reminds him. Dick felt a pit in his stomach as he remembered the future Wally had described.

"Nightwing!" Robin's voice cut through Dick's thoughts and the two dove away from the wall, narrowly escaping another blast. The landing was far rougher than usual thanks to the beating Dick received at the courthouse, and he knew he was in no shape to fight.

"Well, well, look what we have here! Two little birdies all alone in the nest! You know, your boys are hard to kill! Crowbars don't work, neither do guns, or knives… Batman should have named you after cockroaches instead! HAHA!" Joker laughed, stepping closer to the two. Tim extended his Bo staff and Dick pulled out his escrima sticks, even though he wasn't sure he had the energy to use them.

"That's alright. I'll just have to be a little more creative when I kill you this time!" The clown taunted again with his threatening grin.

"You won't win Joker!" Robin hissed out, subtly reaching for his belt to grab one of his smoke pellets.

"Oh, I think I will! This time, I brought friends and right now, they're rounding up all your little kiddies! That way, if Batsy shows up to ruin our fun, we'll have lots of people to kill off as a deterrent! And I think we'll start with you, baby bird! HAHA!" As Joker burst into another fit of laughter, Tim grabbed the smoke pellet and smashed it to the floor, enveloping the entire room in a veil of black smoke. By the time it cleared, nightwing and Robin had successfully slipped away, leaving Joker cackling to himself.

"Suit yourself Birdbrains! You're only delaying the inevitable! There's nowhere to run! Nowhere to hide! This is the end of the Young Justice League!"


	20. Chapter 20 - Last Chance

"M'Gaan!" Connor shouted struggling against his restraints as the villains tossed the unconscious Martian roughly to the floor. Both Connor and Kal'dur were bound in a merciless mixture of Freeze's ice and Ivy's vines, and despite their superior strength they couldn't break free. Not even Connor's pets could intervene: Sphere was trapped behind an impenetrable wall of ice while Wolf was constricted by the same thick vines that coiled around his master.

"Well, someone's protective." Ivy mused as she stepped towards Connor, cupping his chin with her hand and flashing a playful grin.

"Stop toying with them Ivy, we have work to do." Freeze told her, getting annoyed at the woman's antics. He called into the other villains to check on their progress and was not pleased with their response.

"Deathstroke and Sportsmaster have managed to detain Red Arrow, Tigress, Kid Flash, Batgirl, and Red Hood. There were injuries sustained on both sides, but Sportsmaster assured me there won't be any further problems. Joker, however, has failed to secure our main targets." Freeze reported, catching Ivy's attention.

"Nightwing and Robin escaped?"

"For now. But they will not leave their friends as hostages. Its only a matter of time before they attempt to rescue their friends. When they do, we will be ready." Freeze responded. Connor and Kal'dur exchanged a concerned glance, knowing that the villains were right. Nightwing and Robin weren't the type to leave their team behind. But with NIghtwing gravely injured, and both of them severely outnumbered, what chance did they have?

The hangar doors soon opened, revealing the rest of their teammates. Wally was limping (never a good sign for a speedster), leaning on Roy for support, while the archer was also staggering from several deep wounds covering his body. Jason wasn't far behind with ripped stitches in his side, and clear signs of a concussion as he stumbled behind the others. Deathstroke and Sportsmaster followed, each with one of the injured girls restrained in their arms. Deathstroke held a blade to Barbara's neck while putting painful pressure on her burned back, and Sportsmaster had his hand curled in Artemis' hair, shoving her forwards. The threats against the girls were clearly enough to force compliance out of the boys.

"Why are we just standing around. Let's take the hostages and get out of here before the League shows up." Deathstroke growled, making Barbara gasp as he tightened his grip on her injured back.

"The League won't do anything to risk the kids. As long as we keep them under threat, we've got time. Besides, we still don't have what we came here for." Sportsmaster assured him, forcing Artemis forwards as he addressed the group.

"We need to find a way to draw out the Birds. Any ideas?"

Deathstroke removed his knife from Batgirl's neck and kicked her legs out from under her. As she hit the ground, he pressed his boot firmly against her burned back, painfully pinning her to the floor. Barbara let out a small shriek of pain before she clasped her mouth shut. Like the rest of Batman's protege's she was trained to hide her pain from her enemies, but with the agonizing pressure on her 2nd degree burns, she could hardly contain her reaction.

"We've got enough hostages to control the League, I'd say we can spare one or two." Deathstroke smirked, putting his knife back into his belt and drawing his sword instead. He touched the edge of the blade to the back of Batgirl's neck and raised his voice so that Nightwing and Robin would be able to hear if they were anywhere near.

"Nightwing and Robin, This one dies because you were foolish enough to try to escape! If you don't surrender yourselves in the next five minutes, another will join her!" Deathstroke announced, raising his sword in preparation to make his fatal strike!

"NOW!" Artemis shouted, prompting the room to erupt in chaos.

Artemis shot her elbow back into her father's gut, making him release his grip on her hair. She aimed a swift kick to his head, but the mercenary blocked the strike, locking the two in fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Artemis' distraction had free'd the others of their immediate threats. Roy darted for the weapons cash that was always stocked, locked, and kept ready in the hanger. Wally sprinted forwards to tackle Deathstroke away from his captive, while Jason wasted no time in pulling Barbara to her feet and tearing her away from the assassin. By this time, Ivy had sent out a dozen snake-like vines to stop their escape. Both Jason and Babs felt the vines coil up their legs and around their torsos, painfully constricting around Barbara's burned back and Jason's wounded side. The two fought to break free of their vices, and though they had managed to keep the vines at bay, the struggle took all their focus. They would be no help to the others.

Roy had just managed to open the weapon's cash and grab his bow and quiver before a sharp blast of ice froze the entire cash! Roy dove out of the way, narrowly escaping the frigid strike as he armed his bow and fired two shots in rapid succession at his captive teammates. The arrows struck the ice and vines that coiled around Connor and Kaldur, cracking the ice and making it possible for the super-strengthened heroes to bust free of their binds.

Mr. Freeze took aim, preparing to recapture the escapees in his frigid prison, but before he could make the shot, NIghtwing's trademark laughter broke out and a birdarang struck the ice beam right out of Freeze's hands! Nightwing and Robin landed gracefully right in the midst of the fight. With escrima sticks and bo staff in hand, they moved in to help their friends fend of the Gotham they had to do was buy some time! Batman and the League would be here soon. As long as these creeps didn't have any hostages to use as leverage, the League would have them back in Arkham in a matter of hours! Unfortunately, Dick was forgetting about one crucial, game-changing individual.

In the midst of the fight, no one noticed the small explosive bouncing into the hanger until it detonated. The blast sent everyone, heroes and villains alike, flying off their feet and into the stone walls of the hanger with minor burns covering their exposed skin. Before the smoke could clear, Dick hear three things that shattered whatever hope he had of getting out of here alive:

A crazed laugh. A gunshot. And an agonizing scream.


	21. Chapter 21 - The Loss of a Hero

"Wally!" Artemis cried out as her boyfriend screamed. Sportsmaster took advantage of his daughter's distraction and slammed her head against the stone wall. The blonde dropped to the ground, dazed and bloody from the blow to her head. The pain was almost blinding as she reeled from her second concussion in a matter of days. It took every ounce of her will to keep from slipping unconscious.

"W-wally…" The archer muttered, peering through the dissipating smoke to see what was going on. Wally was on his knees, hugging his arms around the rapidly growing red spot on his stomach. Blood was dripping from his mouth and his whole body was shivering with the effort of controlling the pain. As the speedster raised his head to look at the man who shot him, he felt the cold metal of Joker's gun press against his forehead.

The explosion had been the perfect attempt at turning the tables in this fight. The blaze had drained Kal'dur of his energy, dropping him uselessly to the ground next to the unconscious M'Gaan. Neither would be much use in the midst of all these flames. Roy recovered from the explosion and loaded another arrow, but not before Freeze unleashed another blast of ice, knocking the bow from his hand and pinning him to the wall with icy shackles around his wrists, neck and waist. The ice wouldn't last long in the heat of the explosion, but it would keep him immobile long enough for Joker to pull the trigger. The archer scanned the room for the rest of his team, hoping someone else would be able to stop the clown before they were forced to watch Wally die for the second time! Jason and Barbara were now completely confined in Ivy's vines, being constricted tight enough that they were both having trouble breathing, and the stab in Jason's side was losing a dangerous amount of blood. Dick, who had never fully recovered from his beatings at the courthouse, was now so exhausted he needed to lean on Tim for support just to keep on his feet! Batman and the league were surely on their way, but if they burst in and startled the villains, who known how much young blood would be spilt in the process!

"Joker, you don't have to do this! Killing Kid Flash gains you nothing!"

"Save your breath Red Arrow. You can't reason with a mad man." Jason hissed, his voice strained and distorted from the tight binds around his chest.

"But you can bargain with them." Nightwing's defeated voice replies. He raises his eyes to meet the Joker's, ignoring the sounds of struggle as Jason, Barbara, and Roy caught on to what he was about to do.

"This whole things started with me. You wanted to kill me, in front of the whole world. Look around Joker, it's not KF's rivals that are gathered here. They don't care about his death, they care about mine. So I'll make a trade: Spare KF that bullet, and use it on me instead."

"NO!" The cries echoed throughout the room as the heroes fought against their restraints and their weaknesses, desperately trying to stop Dick from giving his life.

"Don't be stupid Nightwing! You know what would happen if you died! I came back here to stop that future, no matter what the cost! You are not going to...AHH!" Joker's foot collided with Wally's stomach, kicking him directly in the growing red spot on his shirt. Wally doubled over in pain, curling inward to protect his damaged stomach.

"Oh shut up! You're taking all the fun out of Birdbrain's sacrifice!" The Joker giggled, turning his attention back to Nightwing.

"You do make a point Birdie, but you're forgetting one thing… This was never about you! You just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time! Don't you remember back at the fun house? You weren't the bird I was hoping to catch! Although, you do make excellent bait!" Joker cackled. Before Dick could even process the meaning of his words, Joker raised his gun and fired three bullets towards the youngest member of their team. Even with the Batclan's swift reflexes, two of the bullet's hit their mark, while the third buried itself in Nightwing's shoulder as he tried to shield his little brother from the shots.

The physical pain didn't even register to Dick. Instead, it was the emotional pain that tore him apart. In the past two years, he had ignored his little brothers. He isolated himself from the team, refusing to come when they called him, brushing them off whenever they offered to help. He had all but disappeared from the lives of the people that cared about him… how could he have been so stupid? How could he have shut them out when they needed him? When he needed them?! For those two years, he could have been at his brother's side. He could have taught Tim how to lead the team, he could have fixed things with Barbara, he could have helped Kal'dur train the others, he could have used Wally's death to empower himself like Artemis had. Instead he walked around as if his life had no meaning. Even now, he was willing to surrender without a fight, forcing his friends and family to watch him die, just so he wouldn't have to suffer losing anyone else. It wasn't until he had his little brother cradled in his arms that he'd realized what the past two years had cost him. As Tim's eyes fluttered closed, Dick realized that the kid had been right all along. The words Tim had muttered on that rooftop several days ago, suddenly flashed through his mind.

"You know, you're selfish Nightwing. You're so wrapped up in what you've lost, you've got no idea how much it would hurt the rest of us if we lost you. I hope you realize that before it's too late."

Too late… I'm sorry Timmy.


	22. Chapter 22 - The Cavalry

"ROBIN!"

"NO!

The tortured screams of Tim's older brothers filled the hanger as the young boy collapsed to the floor. Dick felt numb as he dropped to his successor's side. Despite his broken wrist, he clasped both hands over the bullets that had struck Tim just below his collarbone, applying pressure to the wounds in an effort to preserve whatever slim chance he had of surviving this. The sound of his own racing pulse seemed to drown out the rest of the room, deafening him to the screams and shouts from the team and the hysterical laughter from the murderous clown. Red clouded his vision and he now fully understood how Wally's future came to pass. He felt the same guilt-driven rage that must have pushed his brothers to hunt down the Joker on their own. He felt that helplessness and that desperation that must have twisted Bruce mind, convincing him that if he was too late to save his sons, he would do anything in his power to avenge them. He had never felt this bloodlust before. Dick hadn't been there to witness Jason's death and so he was further removed from it. And when Wally died, there was no one person to blame. But here, as Tim's lay bleeding in his arms and the man responsible stood mere feet away with the smoking gun still in hand, Nightwing wanted nothing more than to tear out his throat! He couldn't change the past. He couldn't take back those two years that he should have spent with his friends and family, but what he could do was make sure he didn't make those same mistakes in the future. He wouldn't pull away from the rest of his family and friends. He wouldn't try to face the world alone anymore, and he sure as hell wouldn't let the Joker take any more lives!

Dick's hands shook as they pressed against Tim's chest. The only thing stopping him from crossing the room and taking the Joker down this second was the feeble heartbeat still struggling beneath his hands. As long as there was even the smallest sign of life, he wouldn't abandon his brother, and it sounded like Jason wouldn't either.

"Joker, I'm gonna rip you to shreds!" Jason howled, fighting so violently against Ivy's vines that the villainess was having a hard time containing him.

The threats, however, just caused another bout of laughter from the clown as he pranced towards the vine-bound Red Hood (stepping on Wally as he did).

"Oh? And do you have any means of backing up that threat?" Joker asked in a childish taunt. Jason glared back in utter fury until he heard a familiar metallic sound coming from the dark corridor leading out of the hanger.

"No." Jason retorted, smirking beneath his helmet.

"But he does."

The metallic sound grew louder as a baterang whipped out of the darkness and sliced through the plants that bound Jason. As soon as his arms were free, he shot an elbow upward to clip Joker across his jaw, forcing him to tumble backwards just in time to be caught by the spinning kick of the figure who had just emerged from the darkness.

"It's the Bat! Kill the sidekicks and clear out of here!" Deathstroke barked, raising his sword above Dick Grayson's head. A red flash of light zapped his hands, forcing him to drop the blade before the fatal strike. Superman flew in, circling around to his clone and breaking Connor free of his icy binds before diving straight for the assassin. Connor rushed to M'Gaan and Kal'dur as more of the parental league members arrived to protect their charges.

Freeze, who had made the mistake of turning his ice ray on Roy, was now fending off both Green Arrow and Aquaman, while Poison Ivy was facing the wrath of the Team's den mother, Black Canary. Flash, on Wally's orders, went after Sportsmaster as the mercenary tried to drag his daughter out of the Mountain. Martian Manhunter had created a protective barrier over the kids to protect them from any further harm as the rest of the league dealt with the villains.

"Robin? Nightwing, is he…?" Barbara couldn't bring herself to finish her question as hurried to the brothers' sides.

"He's alive, but barely. We need to get him to the Watchtower."

"Flash!" Jason called out, seeing the red blur deposit a bound and beaten Sportsmaster in the center of the floor.

"We'll take care of Wally, you need to get Robin out of here!" Jason growled, not allowing any room for argument. As much as Barry didn't want to leave his nephew, he knew that Wally's rapid healing gave him a much better chance at survival that young Tim. Dick felt Tim's weight leave his arms as the Flash took the boy and raced out of the Mountain, faster than the human eye could see. Wally limped over to the Batclan, supported by a concussed-looking Artemis. Connor lifted M'Gaan effortlessly into his arms while Roy helped a weary Kal'dur to his feet. With the Mountain's Zeta tube destroyed, the injured and exhausted Team had to wait until the league was finished before they could fly the young heroes to the Watchtower, although, with the amount of protective rage sparked by the threats against their protégés, it wasn't long before the league had rounded up the host of severely beaten criminals and arranged to take them back to Arkham.


	23. Chapter 23 - The End

Dick was sitting in one of the couches just outside the medical wing of the Watchtower. His shoulder had been bandaged, as well as the injuries he received from the courthouse, and all he really needed now was some time to rest and recover… not that he'd be getting any rest anytime soon. The majority of his team were in the medical ward being treated for their injuries and until Dick knew for certain that everyone was alright, he wasn't going to let himself relax.

"Still here?" Wally asked as he limped out of the medical ward on his new crutches. With a bullet wound in his leg and stomach, it was a shock to see the speedster out of bed even with his rapid healing, but Dick assumed that Wally was just as worried about the others as he was.

"How's Artemis?" Dick asked, sliding over to give Wally some space to side beside him.

"She's got a pretty serious concussion and a few broken ribs. GA pulled her off duty for the next few weeks." Wally answered.

"You think she'll listen to him?"

"Not a chance." Wally smirked, sharing in a little light humour with his best friend. Despite the situation, Dick was glad to have Wally back home. Even after two years apart, the two fell back into step as if KF had never left.

"Uncle Barry gave me the full report on my way out. M'Gaan and Kaldur are both fine, they're back at the dorms with Connor and Roy. Other than some burns and frostbite, they're all going to be ok." Wally added.

"That's good. Babs and Jason are still in the med bay, both have got fractured ribs from Ivy's vines, and Jay needed to get his side stitched up again. But they're strong, no doubt they'll be back on their feet to check on the others in a couple of hours."

"Strong… or stubborn?" Wally teased.

"Both." Dick smiled. The two fell silent for a few long minutes before Wally asked about their youngest and most severely injured team member.

"What about Tim? Any news?" Wally asked, watching as Dick dropped his gaze. He had been getting regular updates from Bruce, but so far there were no guarantees.

"They've removed the bullets and he's stable… for now. They're going to keep him under close observation for the next few days. I can't believe how close we came to losing him."

"Tim's a strong kid, Dick. He is a Robin, after all. He's going to pull through this and when he does, he's going to kick your ass for trying to sacrifice yourself back there!" Wally told him, giving Dick a light shove on his uninjured shoulder.

"Yeah, I know." Dick sighed. "I was selfish… I just didn't want to lose anyone else."

"You can't save everyone Dick." Wally countered, making Dick shake his head.

"Says the person who travelled back in time to save the world!".

"Admit it, you missed me!" Wally teased again, trying to bring the mood back up. There had been enough pain, grief, and suffering in the past few days, they didn't need any more of it now.

"Maybe a little." Dick teased back, appreciating the effort to keep the conversation light.

"I thought we'd find you guys here." Roy called out as he, Connor, M'Gaan, and Kal'dur entered the waiting room with a little red-haired girl about two years old in her father's arms.

"Wally, I'm not sure if you remember…"

"Lian! Wow, she's so little… She was a lot older the last time I saw her." Wally admitted, watching the little one giggle in Roy's arms. It was hard to imagine such a little girl would grow into the fierce, independent heroine Wally had met in the future.

"You knew Lian in the future?" Roy asked with curiosity.

"Share with us, Wally! You seem to know everything that's happened with us in the past two years, but we don't know anything about what you've seen." M'Gaan asked anxiously.

"Yeah, come on KF. I'm alive, the league is still together, the future you knew is no longer going to happen. So there's no harm in giving spoilers, right?" Nightwing pressed, hoping for some details.

"It's kind of a long story guys." Kid Flash excused, but they weren't letting him off the hook that easy.

"It's not like we're going anywhere." Connor countered. That much was true. None of them would be leaving the Watchtower until Tim was recovered and the others were back on their feet, so they may as well have some entertainment.

"Alright, fine." Wally surrendered.

"The first thing you've got to know, Roy, is that this little angel is going to be a handful when she grows up! Isn't that right, Linx?"

This is the final chapter of The End. Thank you all for reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it! A special thanks to everyone who followed, favourited, and reviewed this story. It was my first shot at publishing anything on , and I really appreciate the encouragement and feedback!

If you are as curious as the team was to hear Wally's story about the future, I will be writing a sequel to The End based on Wally's experiences leading up to his return. You'll get to see what the end of the world really looked like, how the team (those who are left) are coping with the divide of the league, and meet some of the futures new heroes (including Lian Harper and Damian Wayne). If you have any requests or comments, feel free to PM me!

Finally, I'd like to wish everyone warm season's greetings! I wish you all a safe and happy holiday and all the best in the new year!


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